Good news for lychee lovers: Israeli researchers have developed a variety with a smaller seed, weighing only a quarter of a gram. This means there is more fruit to enjoy. Another achievement is that the amount of this specific variety is eight times greater than the existing variety.
On the right is the new lychee with a small seed, on the left is the normal lychee (Photo: North R&D)
Until recently, local agriculture in Israel and global agriculture marketed only the "Mauritius" variety. Its seed weight is four grams, while its gross weight, including the fruit, is 23 grams.
For the past five years, the Volcani Institute and the M&D (Research and Development) North have been working on the development of another variety called "Tamuz". It turns out that this variety is much juicier than the Mauritius variety, as its seed weight is only a quarter to half a gram, and its gross weight is 27 grams. In other words: more fruit, less seed.
Source: www.ynet.co.il