Scientists in Israel grow date plants from 2,000-year-old seeds

[Judi Lynn]

Seeds found in Judean desert are male and female, leading to hopes of producing dates

Nicola Davis @NicolaKSDavis
Wed 5 Feb 2020 14.00 ESTLast modified on Wed 5 Feb 2020 14.02 EST

A handful of date seeds from fruit that ripened around the time of Jesus have been successfully planted and grown in southern Israel, researchers have revealed.

The seeds, dubbed Adam, Jonah, Uriel, Boaz, Judith and Hannah, were among many others discovered at archaeological sites in the Judean desert.

It is not the first time the team have managed to grow ancient seeds: in 2008 they reported that they had germinated a 1,900-year-old Judean date palm seed from Masada – an ancient site extended by Herod the Great in the first century BC that looks out over the Dead Sea. That plant, a male, was named Methuselah after the oldest character in the Bible.

But the new study goes further – not only involving more seeds, but shedding light on the way Judean farmers may have cultivated the famous plants.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/05/scientists-in-israel-grow-date-plants-from-2000-year-old-seeds

[Alliepoo]

1. So interesting!!!!

Thanks for all of your posts-I really enjoy reading them!!

[Judi Lynn]

4. Thanks for taking the time to see them. I love finding them when time allows.

They constantly amaze, sometimes overwhelm me! I feel obligated to not keep them to myself!

[pansypoo53219]

2. i dumped an old bag of black beans outside & they sprouted. sadly rabbits ate them

before any beans arrived. gonna put out a bag of mixed beans next year. + yellow split peas.

[Judi Lynn]

5. A backyard gardener told me to remember to always plant extra ones for the critters! 🐰🐇🐦

[pansypoo53219]

7. we had no rain that summer. they even ate pepper plans + my pole beans. hasenpfeffer.

found some chicken wire. fenced in my beans.

[Talitha]

3. That's amazing... thanks for posting this!

[Judi Lynn]

6. I never would have believed it's possible. Thank you. n/t