Ive read that seeds from F1 hybrids are usually sterile, is this always the case?
I do not think that they are sterile. Where did you read that? People do not usually bother to sow seeds of F1 plants, as they do not come true to their parent.
http://seedswapshop.com/aboutus.php
was one site.
seed from an F1 plant are NOT STERILE !! they are however variable, you might not get a plant the same as the parent! ;)
The orthodox view of F1 hybrids and their offspring is a bit like sell-by dates on stuff like seeds, photo film and batteries... A double-edged sword.
They work to your advantage when you use them to decide whether you should buy the stuff in the first place.
Once you've bought them they operate entirely to the benefit of manufacturer and retailer - because you might chuck them out and buy more.
I don't generally make a point of sowing offspring of F1s - many 'selling' characteristics of F1s are the opposite of what I want - eg. I seldom want all the plants to produce in the same week.
However when I have sowed offspring of F1s I've never found that much variation in this second generation - I'm not bothered by a few percent variation in yield because there are dozens of more powerful variables operating in my garden.
Of course there are some seeds I'd never save anyway - F1 or not - especially the very varied families like cabbage family and beet family - they often cross wildly and produce offspring that are neither fish nor fowl nor good red herring.
Once but only once I got a brilliant rogue 'volunteer' beet that had 40cm spinach leaves plus a 1kg tender sweet root - but by trying the root I killed its chances of producing seeds!
Cheers.
F1s are produced by rearing two pure strains of different varieties in isolation and then crossing them. The result of that cross is the F1. So to get that again you have to repeat the crossing of the two varieties.
I find that there are some super F1 varieties and you miss out a lot if you avoid them all. For continuous cropping i do batch sowing of fewer plants at a time.
If you save seed of F1s then i think you get F2s and they have all the different variations that the original varieties had.
Strictly speaking an F2 is F1's crossed with a pure strain, preferably one of the parents.... so you get a 50-50 mix at the genetic level of one of the parents plus the F1.... but you have to factor in the gene swapping that goes on in gamete formation....
That said I saved a load of seed from an F1 geranium and got alovely mix of colours on vigourous plants..... tons of bedding and cheap as chips....
chrisc
I think you are thinking of "terminator technology" where some commercial plants don't produce viable seed so you have to keep going back to the supplier for fresh seed... :-\
Quote from: saddad on January 08, 2010, 08:18:28
I think you are thinking of "terminator technology" where some commercial plants don't produce viable seed so you have to keep going back to the supplier for fresh seed... :-\
Often sold to developing nations as a prerequisite for aid - e.g. we will give you x million if you spend it on seed produced by y company that funds our party to the tune of x million.
Thanks everyone.
I suppose the moral is, don't believe everything you read !
As someone who will probabily save seeds where possible, it's nice to know, whats possible and what isnt.
Quote from: redclanger on January 08, 2010, 11:16:39
Quote from: saddad on January 08, 2010, 08:18:28
I think you are thinking of "terminator technology" where some commercial plants don't produce viable seed so you have to keep going back to the supplier for fresh seed... :-\
Often sold to developing nations as a prerequisite for aid - e.g. we will give you x million if you spend it on seed produced by y company that funds our party to the tune of x million.
'Monsanto' is the company, 'round-up resistant' plants are what they sell.
watch this film if you want more info
http://milledrive.com/videos/29660/Food