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Post by SteveB on Mar 27, 2017 21:58:10 GMT -5
Grasping at the technical and genetic insanity that is surrounding corn cross pollination. I have to ask, if you cross a su corn with an se corn, do you loose the se and end up with a su hybrid?
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Post by keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.) on Mar 28, 2017 10:11:01 GMT -5
I will reply now by quoting smarter people than me, and hopefully some of them will jump in with more detailed information. Nothing slight about it. The difference in sugar content between su and se is dramatic to the taste. I have heard se corn described as "sickly sweet". se and su get along very well together. (To get a sugary enhanced cob you have to have both the su gene and the se gene.) I am evaluating several su/se F1 hybrids this year (su as the mother). They have the reliability of su corn in early spring, and 25% to 50% of the kernels can be sugary enhanced, (the later if pollinated with se). The se gene is on chromosome 2, and su is on chromosome 4. A homozygous se variety has both se on chromosome 2 and su on chromosome 4. If you want to try a very good long season se X su cross, grow some Merit beside some Silver King and de-tassel the Silver King so the pollen has to come from the Merit. The result is a very vigorous corn that has exceptional vigor, flavor, and sweetness. There are other genes that can be used to enhance sweetness such as du and brittle. These genes are finding their way into a few hybrids that rival sh2 for sweetness without the negative effects of the sh2 gene on vigor. DarJones Also this old thread looks interesting! alanbishop.proboards.com/thread/4981/selecting-se-week?page=4If se+ means homozygous for se, then if a corn is se+, all subsequent generations will also be se+, barring mutations. In such a population, you do not need to select for se+ because all kernels are se+. Correct. I wish that there was an open pollinated se+ strain of sweet corn available. As far as I can tell, there is nothing like that on the commercial market, nor available for swap in the informal market. Due to the germination issue, even the slightest contamination from non-se+ sweet corn will lead to quick deterioration of any se+ variety. Blah... Maybe I'll have to get serious this summer about this project and self a bunch of corn: to definitively separate the se+ from the su/se.
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Post by SteveB on Mar 28, 2017 20:31:56 GMT -5
Thanks Keen. If I'm grasping it all correctly I think that may answer my question.
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Post by SteveB on Apr 13, 2017 14:47:03 GMT -5
I enjoy these boards and the wisdom and ideas from the participants. I am going to use this here to document for myself my progress throughout my gardening adventures. At the rate I'm going this year, I'm considering a few rental plots to play in. I love growing, and any excess is given away or donated to those in need. I welcome conversation with anyone who dares.. Haha
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Post by SteveB on Apr 14, 2017 8:43:21 GMT -5
A week or so ago I took out some sunroots that I've had in storage for almost two years. Out of the handful left, two looked like they held on to life. I planted them and at this moment, looks like only one is sprouting. I'm shocked that there was any life left after so long. They were dormant when I aquired them and have no idea how long before I got them. I intended to plant them last spring and just kinda forgot about them.
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Post by philagardener on Apr 14, 2017 17:42:59 GMT -5
I've had home grown sweet potatoes last two years (well, one full year and a winter) that I then used for slips. Always worth selecting for good storage qualities!
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Post by SteveB on Apr 21, 2017 13:19:23 GMT -5
This April is being favorable with nighttime temps staying high 30's and above. Planting the second round of corn seeds and transplanting more cool season seedlings from the greenhouse. May as well get more root crop out there as well. People here generally wait till the last half of May. Must be habitual.
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Post by SteveB on Apr 22, 2017 22:20:00 GMT -5
I debate as to what to do with the abundance of older seed I have. Some are most likely too far gone to germinate, others are just an over abundance or of lines I have lost interest in. I'm thinking about creating a bed specifically to toss them all into "jungle". And looking in the fall for any remarkable survivors. Maybe I'll find something worthy of collecting seed from with renewed interest.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Apr 23, 2017 1:20:33 GMT -5
I typically feed my older seeds to chickens, or plant them as part of my cover crop mixes.
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Post by SteveB on May 2, 2017 20:45:21 GMT -5
I'm curious as to how others plant/space muskmelons. I have grown them in hills. And even trellised them. I like to plant them in rows though and I usually space them very close together. I'd love to hear the kind of spacing others use in row plantings.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on May 2, 2017 22:59:17 GMT -5
I plant muskmelons in rows, and let them sprawl on the ground. Spacing between seeds about 6" to 9". Spacing between rows about 7 feet.
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Post by SteveB on May 6, 2017 18:05:03 GMT -5
Thanks Joseph,
What causes partially white leaves in a plant? I have a stevia plant as well as a black seeded Simpson lettuce that have a mix of the normal green as well as pure white in the leaves. They are attractive, yet I assume they have less ability forphotosynthesis
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