Post by oxbowfarm on Jul 1, 2012 9:27:43 GMT -5
Ray and I are working on a de-hybridized zucchini we've decided to call Jade Numbat. Ray grew out the F2 and saved seed from five plants, so I'm growing out approximately 15-20 plants of each line right now. They've just started flowering so we can see them segregating for different characteristics. The lines are only F3 but I am noticing some broad similarities between each line. I wanted to keep a record here so Ray can refer to it when he wants and in case I lose my notes or this computer or both.
The goal is for an early, productive, shiny, bright green striped zucchini with reduced spines and good powdery mildew tolerance, i.e. as close to the original hybrid as possible for the important characteristics.
Line 1: So far the smallest plants, but that may be a fertility issue. Seems to be very precocious, many female flowers forming on the small plants and 3 out of 18 plants have already opened a female bloom no male blossoms open yet. Fruit shape seems to tend towards pear-shaped vs cylindrical. Striping looks good so far. Mottled leaves, almost spineless.
Line 2: Medium sized plants so far. Only 1 plant of 16 flowered, many female blossoms forming. Cylindrical fruit shape, stripes look good so far. Much reduced leaf mottling compared to the other lines, almost spineless.
Line 3: Smaller plants, possible fert. issue. Precocious 3 of 16 plants flowered female blossoms, no male blossoms open yet. Cylindrical, decent striping, may be less uniform striping than other lines? Mottled leaves, almost spineless.
Line 4 Very large plants, least precocious only one female flower from 17 plants, very few female blossoms visibly formed yet. Extremely mottled leaves, possibly spinier than other lines, stripes seem OK.
Line 5: Decent sized plants, precocious-4 of 18 plants opened female blossoms as of 6/30 many female blossoms showing per plant. Good stripes, mottled leaves, little or no spines, cylindrical fruit shape so far. As of right now line 5 is looking the best of them for all the criteria.
And just for fun, here is a pic of an F1 fruit from the original hybrid crossed with Bianco di Sicilia, an Italian white zucchini/cousa. It seems that the stripes are dominant over the pale green color typical of cousa squash.
The goal is for an early, productive, shiny, bright green striped zucchini with reduced spines and good powdery mildew tolerance, i.e. as close to the original hybrid as possible for the important characteristics.
Line 1: So far the smallest plants, but that may be a fertility issue. Seems to be very precocious, many female flowers forming on the small plants and 3 out of 18 plants have already opened a female bloom no male blossoms open yet. Fruit shape seems to tend towards pear-shaped vs cylindrical. Striping looks good so far. Mottled leaves, almost spineless.
Line 2: Medium sized plants so far. Only 1 plant of 16 flowered, many female blossoms forming. Cylindrical fruit shape, stripes look good so far. Much reduced leaf mottling compared to the other lines, almost spineless.
Line 3: Smaller plants, possible fert. issue. Precocious 3 of 16 plants flowered female blossoms, no male blossoms open yet. Cylindrical, decent striping, may be less uniform striping than other lines? Mottled leaves, almost spineless.
Line 4 Very large plants, least precocious only one female flower from 17 plants, very few female blossoms visibly formed yet. Extremely mottled leaves, possibly spinier than other lines, stripes seem OK.
Line 5: Decent sized plants, precocious-4 of 18 plants opened female blossoms as of 6/30 many female blossoms showing per plant. Good stripes, mottled leaves, little or no spines, cylindrical fruit shape so far. As of right now line 5 is looking the best of them for all the criteria.
And just for fun, here is a pic of an F1 fruit from the original hybrid crossed with Bianco di Sicilia, an Italian white zucchini/cousa. It seems that the stripes are dominant over the pale green color typical of cousa squash.
