Are watermelons genetically modified to get rid of pips?

Question

Are watermelons genetically modified to get rid of pips?

Answer 1

Are pips seeds?

If so, then sort of.  No genes are actually inserted into their genome, but they are made to be triploid (3n).  This means that when the plant tries to make gametes through meiosis, the chromosomes don't pair properly.

How they produce the triploid plant is they first make a tetraploid (4n) parent (the female parent) by using the chemical colchicine to halt cytokinesis after cell division.  The 4n parent then makes 2n eggs.  They fertilize these eggs using haploid (n) pollen from a normal 2n male parent.  The 2n egg fuses with the n sperm creating a 3n embryo plant.

Answer 2

These watermelons have been bred fo 40 years. Unless the use of colchicine produces a genetic change they are not genetically modified, they are just a sterile crossbreed variety