Post by kevin8715 on Apr 29, 2014 22:48:24 GMT -5
Abstract
As a couple of you have seen, I have been collecting a wide variety of alliums that have unique qualities. Many are long storage onions. Methods of reproducing also varies from top sets, multiplying, and seed of course. Different kinds of shape. You get the point. My goal is to get a combinations of these traits into one onion of each shape. One that sets both top sets and multiplies as good as potato onions. Long storage types tend to be more pungent, but one variety, Amish bottle onion, is still a bit pungent but different. These varieties should be able to survive a planting in a mild but dry winter, but when mature, survive the summer here. Even if the specific goals aren't met, this mass cross will still probably provide some interesting outcomes. Another goal is to unlock the shallot's "locked genes". The summer should suffice for stress.
Materials
Cultiver list: amuri onion, true potato onion seed (two sources), Japanese long onion (allium fistulosum), shallots (generic and Holland Red), Egyptian walking onion (2 types), Amish bottle onions, red and brown Pukekohe onions, unknown white onion which has adapted, possibly cipolli onions
Methods
A note about those non flowering ones. One version of Egyptian walking onions does seem to produce bulbils and flowers at the same time. Will look out for those. Bulbils will be removed if flowering is insufficient. The shallots I hope that the stress from the extreme temperature during the summer is enough to make them flower. If not enough flowers are present for proper fertilization, I will hand pollinate to any other available compatible onion flower around. The rarity of true shallots flowering makes it worth it. Overall, the landrace process will be used by dedicating a bed to them and planting each in a row. The female parent will be recorded. Currently everything is in the process of growing out. Some like the red and brown Pukekohe onion I will have to wait until fall to plant due to the heat. Evaluation for complete fertility will be taken care of in the first year.
Collaboration
Seeds will be shared of the mass cross in most likely 1-2 years. Growouts and selection will be appreciated. Currently if you have any unique onion/shallot/potato onion that deserves a place in the mass cross, PM me to work something out. Currently, I will not plant any more onion seeds except the amish bottle onions for sets. The weather already killed 3 more potato onion seedlings one day that I left them in the pure sun. Still have 2 that survive which are probably the most heat tolerant.
As a couple of you have seen, I have been collecting a wide variety of alliums that have unique qualities. Many are long storage onions. Methods of reproducing also varies from top sets, multiplying, and seed of course. Different kinds of shape. You get the point. My goal is to get a combinations of these traits into one onion of each shape. One that sets both top sets and multiplies as good as potato onions. Long storage types tend to be more pungent, but one variety, Amish bottle onion, is still a bit pungent but different. These varieties should be able to survive a planting in a mild but dry winter, but when mature, survive the summer here. Even if the specific goals aren't met, this mass cross will still probably provide some interesting outcomes. Another goal is to unlock the shallot's "locked genes". The summer should suffice for stress.
Materials
Cultiver list: amuri onion, true potato onion seed (two sources), Japanese long onion (allium fistulosum), shallots (generic and Holland Red), Egyptian walking onion (2 types), Amish bottle onions, red and brown Pukekohe onions, unknown white onion which has adapted, possibly cipolli onions
Methods
A note about those non flowering ones. One version of Egyptian walking onions does seem to produce bulbils and flowers at the same time. Will look out for those. Bulbils will be removed if flowering is insufficient. The shallots I hope that the stress from the extreme temperature during the summer is enough to make them flower. If not enough flowers are present for proper fertilization, I will hand pollinate to any other available compatible onion flower around. The rarity of true shallots flowering makes it worth it. Overall, the landrace process will be used by dedicating a bed to them and planting each in a row. The female parent will be recorded. Currently everything is in the process of growing out. Some like the red and brown Pukekohe onion I will have to wait until fall to plant due to the heat. Evaluation for complete fertility will be taken care of in the first year.
Collaboration
Seeds will be shared of the mass cross in most likely 1-2 years. Growouts and selection will be appreciated. Currently if you have any unique onion/shallot/potato onion that deserves a place in the mass cross, PM me to work something out. Currently, I will not plant any more onion seeds except the amish bottle onions for sets. The weather already killed 3 more potato onion seedlings one day that I left them in the pure sun. Still have 2 that survive which are probably the most heat tolerant.
