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hybrid seeds

turkeyfarm
19 years ago

I have heard that sowing seeds from hybrids will not come true to the original. How then do breeders propogate hybrids? If home gardeners exchange seeds from hybrids does this mean we cannot guarantee what the results will be? Puzzled! Thanks for any suggestions

Comments (3)

  • Rosa
    19 years ago

    Generally true and just because they may look like or taste like the original hybrid you planted does not always mean that they are genetically the same. Think of two brown eyed people. What you see may not be identical on the genetic level.

    Breeders have two choices then, either recross for that specific hybrid each and every time or use tissue culture of the hybrid cross to get exact clones.

    So no you cannot guarantee the exact results. Just let the other traders know that's it hybrid seed is all. Some will want it anyway and some will not.

  • chervil2
    19 years ago

    Growers propagate hybrids by crossing the parent strains. Therefore, the flowers of one plant are specifically pollinated by the pollen for a different plant. For example if you cross XX with strain YY you end of with the hybrid XY. However, this plant can not produces 100 % XY seed based on the laws of genetics. There is also a hybrid vigor trait that results from the cross itself. If you wish to grow hybrid seeds, then you should purchase them from a reputable seed company. It is not worthwhile to save seed from hybrid varieties.

    Cheers!

    chervil2

  • tomgyrll
    19 years ago

    Some hybrids though will grow very true to the parents, meaning almost all the plants from offspring will be identical to the parents.

    Others give a diversity of results, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. These could be lovely plants, and you could save the seeds from them and pick and chose and do some backyard selection.

    Also, some hybrids are sterile.

    I'm simply countering the idea that the seeds saved from hybrids invariably create useless monsters. The parent varieties will have desireable characteristics, which is why they were closen for crossing. Their offspring are likely to also be desireable, even if not replicas of the parents. They might be unpredictable, though, so you definitely want to let traders know if you are offering F2 seeds. Some gardeners are intentionally growing out hybrids over generations to stabilize them and may offer these F3, F4 or more seed. Obviously, these have producing plants worth the effort of growing them repeatedly!

    Theoretically I think you could argue many varieties of OP plants were once hybrids that stabilized over the generations.

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