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PAGE 22. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 8, 2002.
New plant varieties not always hybrids
Some people think all new vari-
eties are hybrids. This is not true.
There are new flowers and vegeta-
bles introduced each year that are
open pollinated (OP) varieties.
To understand the difference
between a hybrid and an open polli-
nated variety, think of plant genealo-
gy. An open pollinated plant has one
parent; a hybrid has two parents.
In simplest terms, hybrid seed can
be defined as the seed that results
' from the cross-pollination of two
inbred parent plants. Open pollinated
varieties, by contrast, have only one
parent line. Many seeds being
offered for sale in packets, mail
order and at nurseries are F, hybrids
but there are a number of classes
• where this method of hybridization
does not work.
New varieties are created by a
plant breeder. When a breeder has
uniform, genetically stable inbred
plants, he or she can consider creat-
ing new hybrids. To produce hybrid
seed, pollen is moved, often by hand,
but possibly by insects or the wind,
from the anthers of one inbred plant
(male) and placed on the stigma of
the second inbred plant (female).
The seed that grows as a result of
this pollination is 'hybrid seed'.
Hybrids are often the preferred type
of a variety for a number of reasons.
The hybrid parents are chosen to
complement each other and/or com-
pensate for each other's flaws, creat-
ing a new variety that is better than
the best qualities of each of the par-
ents.
Hybrids tend to be very uniform,
have better seed quality, and they can
be more vigorous plants. Many show
other aspects of improved perform-
ance such as earlier or more sus-
tained flowering, larger flowers, or
(NC)—Plants need three basic
nutrients to grow: nitrogen, phos-
phorus and potassium. Hence, every
plant fertilizer formulation is identi-
fied by three numbers.
The first number is the nitrogen
content, the second phosphorous and
the third potassium. The numbers
represent the amount of each ele-
ment in relation to the
others.
Nitrogen helps plants grow up
nice and green, and helps them pro-
duce more healthy leaves. If a plant
appears pale or weak, a lack of nitro-
gen is usually the problem. Nitrogen
is the most important plant nutrient,
because it promotes food production
in the leaves.
Phosphorous forms the foundation
of the plant. It aids in the develop-
ment of roots and stems, creating a
strong support system so that
nitrogen can be delivered to the
plant's foliage. It also encourages
larger blooms when the plant is
flowering.
For a plant to absorb phosphorous,
Sts roots must make direct contact
with a phosphorous-bearing mole-
cule. This means that water-soluble
fertilizers deliver phosphorous
best.
The benefits of _potassium to
plants are not fully understood. It
certainly acts as a strengthener. It
also increases insect and disease
resistance.
in vegetables earlier or larger fruits.
Most large-scale production of F,
hybrid seed is produced in green-
houses or enclosed shade houses.
The female flower plants are grown
on greenhouse benvhes and workers
place the selected pollen on the
receptive female.
This control of the cross-pollina-
tion is critical for hybrid seed pro-
duction. The production structures
are enclosed or sealed so that no bees
or other pcillen carrying insects enter
the structure.
In certain cases the creation of
hybrid seed is not feasible for sever-
al reasons. First, the biology of the
plant or the flower configuration are
designed for self-pollination result
ing in open pollinated plants.
In other cases the cost of creating a
hybrid plant is prohibitive and the
hybrids may not be notably superior.
For example, Salvia splendens
iiybrids were created, offered by sev-
eral companies, and are no longer
sold because the hybrids are not
noticeably improved over open polli-
nated plants.
,Open pollinated flowers or vegeta-
bles are often easier and faster to
breed and produce. Breeders create
new varieties -by selecting "parent"
plants by repeatedly self-pollinating
progeny over several generations.
For instance, a plant breeder may
find a plant with an interesting or
unique characteristic, either growing
in the greenhouse or perhaps even
growing in the wild.
The breeder would pollinate this
plant and grow out large numbers of
the second generation as this is
where the most variations occur and
good combinations of characteristics
from the parents are sometimes
found. Normally a number of selec-
Furthermore, it is believed that
potash plays a role in regulating the
plant's use of nitrogen.
Aside from nitrogen, phosphorous
and potassium, there are many other
elements that plants require for max-
imum growth, but in much smaller
quantities.
When buying plant fertilizers, it's
important to make sure they contain
at least small amounts of these ele-
ments.
These elements include boron,
iron, copper, zinc, manganese and
molybdenum.
- News Canada
tions are made in the greenhouse and
outdoors. To make sure that the vari-
ety is true to type, the best individual
plants are chosen, these are self-pol-
linated, and the whole process is
repeated from as few as three to pos-
sibly eight or more times.
Production of OP varieties often
takes place in acres of fields where
thousands of plants are grown. Bees
may be provided to enhance pollina-
tion, and seed may be harvested by
hand or with specialized equipment.
The only obstacle is that each variety •
or colour must be produced at a loca-
tion distant from other varieties or
colours so that cross-pollination con-
tamination does not occur.
The following are examples of well-known
garden flowers and vegetables that are F,
hybrids or open pollinated.
FLOWERS
F, Hybrid Open Pollinated
Begonia Alyssum
Impatiens Calendula
Lisianthus Celosia
Marigold, American Cosmos
Nicotiana Dahlia
Petunia Lobelia
Seed Geranium Marigold, French
Snapdragon Nasturtium
Poppy
Rudbeckia
Salvia
Vinca
VEGETABLES
F, Hybrid Open Pollinated
Broccoli Bean, green
Cabbage Herbs
Pepper Lettuce
Tomato Peas
Squash, Summer Radish
Once the variety has been devel- good quality.
oped, named and introduced, the - When a promising line has been
work has not ended. Some classes of developed it is then tested under var-
OP flowers or vegetables need to be ious climactic conditions.
very closely watched as they can Outstanding varieties may be consid-
become quite variable for plant or ered for entry in the All-America
flower type. Selections or Fleuroselect
Continuous stock seed mainte- (European) trials.
nance is very important to maintain — National Garden Bureau
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