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Post by rowan on Sept 14, 2012 4:37:48 GMT -5
I am growing rat-tails for the first time this year. I am so surprised at the variations in every single plant that I think there could be a breeding project there somewhere. In my little plot I have radishes that have huge roots/bulbs or hardly any root at all, long pods and short pods, strong flavor and mild, and funny looking pods and straight - all from the same packet of seed.
The genetic diversity in these plants is amazing and I will have to have to have a think about what is best to breed for. I have a lot on my plate at the moment but these plants have really peaked my interest.
Any ideas on potential breeding projects from those who have grown them?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Sept 14, 2012 9:36:38 GMT -5
I don't grow rat-tails specifically, but I grow lots of radish seed pods. In my garden, I have ended up selecting for pods that are grasshopper resistant. Know what you mean about the diversity.
I think longer pods would be easier to pick. Perhaps you will find a gene that you can name Pods Lightly Attached To Stem, which would make harvesting easier. (I don't know that it's currently hard: just saying.)
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Post by caledonian on Dec 27, 2012 12:33:35 GMT -5
You could try to breed for color - exposure to sunlight has a lot to do with whether the stems and pods develop large amounts of purple anthocyanins, but only some plants do so.
Breeding for flower color and size seems like a potentially interesting course.
And breeding away from a tendency to 'lodge' would be helpful. The plants grow so tall that the weight of the pods tends to make them fall over - if they're not planted densely enough that they support each other, it can cause damage. Also it's inconvenient for harvesting and messy-looking.
Probably the most valuable trait, if it could be bred for, would be to increase the time the pods are harvestable. If you don't pick them quickly, then they turn woody and inedible. It's hard to judge the best trade-off between pod size and edibility. If the plants could grow pods to the maximum size but have them remain edible for a while, that would be great.
Annual radishes are fantastic at attracting pollinators. I wish I had enough available space to make a serious attempt at breeding them.
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Post by rowan on Dec 27, 2012 13:56:00 GMT -5
Thanks for that Caledonian. I bought a second lot of seeds from somewhere else and they have turned out to be completely different from the first, and are edible and tender for longer. I have a lot to work on now. You are right they flower amazingly and I have bees and other pollinators all over them.
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Post by caledonian on Jun 4, 2013 16:07:01 GMT -5
I'm trying a very rudimentary version of a breeding project right now. It's basically nothing more than selecting among the reseeded volunteers from last year's pod radish crop, weeding out the pale flowers and retaining the most brightly purple colored flowers.
I note that the purple-flowered individuals are often less robust than the white-flowered. I can't find any useful information regarding this online, but I wonder if there isn't a detriment to the trait (like with red corn), or if its presumably recessive nature means that purple-flowered plants are more likely to be the result of self-crossing in the previous generation and lack hybrid vigor.
The most intensely-colored plants are rather lovely. Like Dame's Rocket with edible leaves, almost.
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Post by zeedman on Jun 6, 2013 7:41:41 GMT -5
You might look to "Madras Podding" for that trait. I've grown "Rattail", and observed the variability... but while the long pods were interesting, they seemed to get tough too quickly. For many years, my favorite radish pods were those of "White Icicle", which were more tender & fairly mild in flavor. "Madras" has pods that are short & fat, and which develop fiber very slowly
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