Interesting observations on black spot and (as a microbiologist, not a biologist) what I would call "acquired immunity". On the left coast in SoCal, I have my hands full enough with mildew & rust with HTs in my 'first life'. Fwiw, I have not seen your b.s. phenomenon with mildew and plants susceptible enough finally just die as it also infects the canes, this would include most of the orange ones I've had, although Perfect Moment is not bad and of course Marmalade Skies is clean, but also one of my favorites that I think I'm about to have no more, Color Magic. The rest are long gone. Others are what I would call tolerant in that you see some on the leaves, but it comes and goes with the weather year in, year out and they shrug it off, i.e. Iceburg. Rust, is more of a nuisance fungus in my yard. It comes, defoliates and goes coming back with the weather it likes. Seems like we get it a lot in the winter. Removing the leaves and a hair cut is not too bad to do on HTs where I have it, especially as the winter infection is when they should be trimmed anyway, and they come back with a new flush. Paul, I dunno if the word is getting out or not. If I hadn't found this forum years ago, I'd still be thinking it was my fault because I wasn't spraying the right thing or often enough. This year after Jeri finally GramHat'd me enough I've plunged into the deep end with antiques in a big way and look forward to the resistance that we all talk about. We need a vehicle to make the general public aware what 'disease resistant' really is vs what they see in catalogs and that they really can grow roses no-spray. I know this is the Antique Forum, and even on the other side we make fun of the newer modern roses like the 'Easy' series and others, but I think I embrace their introductions because they may be the vehicle we need to expose people to the notion that they don't have to spray and their roses don't have to look like a mess - they will buy MORE!!! Maybe they will like them so much they will research and find Antiques? Hopefully, eventually, for those that insist on HTs, the big houses will start making fungus resistance a bigger priority when susceptible plant sales tail off after introduction. JMHO...

Sometimes there is a visible difference. Switchgrass can vary in height from 2 - 3 feet up to 8 to 10 feet, depending on where it is from. However, the real reason to care about local genetic strains is that local strains have genes that adapt them to local climate, soils, etc. Little bluestem grass from Texas may not do well in North Dakota. People who care about saving the full diversity of species that God created and/or evolved also care to save the ecosystems that were created/evolved as well as the genetic strains that were created/evolved. Modern conservation biology seeks to conserve the diversity of life at all levels from ecosystems to species to genes. Are there unique aspects to local types in your area? Yes. Are they disappearing? Probably. Are they worth seeking out? I think so. Are the differences visible? Sometimes.

actually scotty, Im absolutely counting on some cross pollenation!, I have a handful of isolated seeds, but I am truly excited about spinning the wheel in a 50 variety gene pool, as I have said I have never met a chile I dont like, the only real concern I have is the 3 pubescens I have growing because of course they wont cross w/ any other species, but they havent blossomed yet and they are seperated by 50 yrds or so away from the rest, but I have seen some very cool crosses, shoot the bhuts we all love are just hybrids of trinidad chiles anyway, as are so many other wonderful peppers, i wiil try to grow some wilds and true to types but to create a new hybrid that I love would make me very happy! paul

@tox: I agree worms not essential to decomposition. And I mostly agree that adding some to your garden isn't likely to do much of anything - unless the conditions were good enough, in which case they are probably already there. Yes, they dont' generally live in 'soil' - but decaying organic matter on top of soil, including pretty thick like a compost pile but also layers like cut grass or leaf litter, is often enough. (They do live in the top layer of soil, but depends of course) I wasn't sure what you meant by 'temperate' conditions - but if you mean cold winters, they do perfectly well in nature in cold climates. They're just not active in winter. Some die off, but clearly they come back, whatever the mechanism. I suspect there are a lot more strains than anyone knows about, but one way or another, 'local' compost worms are better adapted to the local environment for outdoor living.