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Post by alkapuler on Feb 11, 2009 0:36:12 GMT -5
recent studies of Capsicum species in southeastern Brazil have found that at least 10 species have 26 chromosomes while the peppers familiar to us have 24, ie. C. chinense, C. frutescens, C. baccatum and C. annuum. these groups do not cross, yet, and there are other genera in the Solanaceae that may be bridges between these two major groups of peppers, from the western and eastern sides of the Andes a website 'Wild Capsicums" is very informative about these new discoveries
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Post by alkapuler on Feb 10, 2009 23:58:43 GMT -5
the climate is always changing, so how do we optimize success? one way is by generating populations of F1 hybrids. these make all sorts of new combinations genetically, adaptively, ecolutionary.
the term grex was used by Paphiopedilum breeders, folks who cross species of lady slipper orchids. If you crossed two species, and then did it again a century later, then the populations of such crosses constitute a grex. seems like we vegetable breeders can adapt the term to mixed crosses of widely varying cultivars in the same group as in a turnip grex, a beet grex, a squash grex and so on...
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Post by alkapuler on Feb 8, 2009 12:44:22 GMT -5
Purple on yellow gives red. How wonderful, original and unexpected. Should make a red snap with the right parents. Will be doing just that this year. Carol Deppe will be so glad to have been an inspiration to yourself and other folks. Your posts have inspired me. Thanks
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Post by alkapuler on Feb 1, 2009 2:01:18 GMT -5
Yacon contains inulin but the chain lengths are short 3-5 ie glucosyl-fructosyl-fructosyl-fructosyl-fructose for a 5-mer. Jerusalem Artichoke inulin has longer chain lengths, in in twenties if I remember correctly, similar to chicory inulin which as maybe 20-40 in chain length. Then there are in inulins in grasses, like in the rice plants which are in hundreds. As yacon is stored and cured, our tubers go from translucent to purple, deeper color near the skin, and get sweeter s the inulin in broken down to glucosyl-fructose (sucrose), glucose and fructose. Sucrose is alot sweeter than the other two. Making a concentrate of yacon juice gives a fine and unique molasses. We like it alot.
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Post by alkapuler on Feb 1, 2009 1:53:24 GMT -5
For a plant that was a widespread foodplant in the PNW and across temperate USA and Canada, these Sagittarias certain have become obscure. Part of that is in the development of a breeding system. Japanese high school kids figured out that GA3 will stimulate seed germination, moving it from 2 years to several weeks. It also affects male flowers turning them female. So one can generate female plants and look for interspecies crosses like S. latifolia x S. cuneata ie one with bigger tubers with one with superior flavor.
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