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breeding Plant isolation techniques to prevent open hybrids

thegreenman

thegreenman

I'm amending this first post to include the techniques as we've discussed in the thread below:

Plant/Flower Isolation techniques.
  • Distance Isolation : seperating plants by a significant distance to avoid crossing. This is difficult to do for most home/hobby growers the recommended distance is 1/2 mile or more between plants.
  • Caging isolation: create a mesh cage around the plant or individual flowers/branches using Tulle fabric or Organza bags. This is probably the most popular method, and is used by commercial seed banks such as Chili Pepper Institute (see below).


    _6050179.JPG
  • Flower sealing: use gel caps (vitamin type) or elmers glue to seal the flowers after they are full size but before they open. The glue or caps pop or fall off when the pod develops. People have reported mixed results with these methods, such as bud drop and problems with rain melting gel caps, or washing off the glue. YMMV.
sizecaps.jpg



I wrote to the NMSU Chile Pepper Institute and asked what procedures they follow. They replied that they use the caging method and sent me this article which details their method of isolation.​
 
Generally a half a mile is preferable but you can cover the plant with a tulle like material to prevent insects from pollinating. Or you can cover just a few blooms before they open but make sure you mark which ones they are. Do a search for isolating or isolation and it will return a good bit of information.
 
millworkman said:
Generally a half a mile is preferable but you can cover the plant with a tulle like material to prevent insects from pollinating. Or you can cover just a few blooms before they open but make sure you mark which ones they are. Do a search for isolating or isolation and it will return a good bit of information.
Click to expand...

Thanks. MillWorkman

I'm really hoping some of our seed vendors can tell us what procedures they follow to guarantee true to type seeds.
 
Ive heard of people putting nets over their plants to help keeping them from crossing. Or you can do the distance thing. People recommend 1 mile, but 1/2 mile might work like millwork said
 
Netting tends to be the most effective method for plants that are close to each other
 
PepperLover said:
i cover the whole plant with fine mesh so no bugs can get in...
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I wanted to hear, Thanks..... :P

Can you tell me where I can purchase some of this mesh? Is it mosquito netting or something especially for plants...

I found these pictures that show this technique.

Blossom%2520Bag%2520%28large%29%2520%25206-15-03.JPG


http://www.fototime.com/%7BEBD35FC2-D96F-4E1D-95E8-955E7ECC563A%7D/sspict/640/exp=f&modt=41039.0237032292&ssdyn=1/Blossom%2520Bag%2520%28large%29%2520%25206-15-03.JPG
 
Perfect example right there.

You can find the tulle material at any big name hardware store, homedepot, lowes, etc.
I need to go buy some myself now that you reminded me.

I agree with everyone else, stick with netting.
The distance deal seems sketchy, unless you go door to door in that square mile to make sure nobody else is growing peppers.. Chances are crossing is going to happen.

Brandon
 
wayright said:
The best idea I have heard so far was by Potawie one time for container plants.
when they start to form blooms, bring that baby in the house and let it self pollinate, then take it back outside!


Kevin
Click to expand...

But that would mean bringing my plants inside two months ago and leaving them inside till... forever.
 
BigCedar said:
Perfect example right there.

You can find the tulle material at any big name hardware store, homedepot, lowes, etc.
I need to go buy some myself now that you reminded me.

I agree with everyone else, stick with netting.
The distance deal seems sketchy, unless you go door to door in that square mile to make sure nobody else is growing peppers.. Chances are crossing is going to happen.

Brandon
Click to expand...

just got back from Home despot and couldn't find it in the garden section. They had bird netting, weed barrier but nothing like this. :confused:

I'll try a fabric store.
 
thegreenman said:
just got back from Home despot and couldn't find it in the garden section. They had bird netting, weed barrier but nothing like this. :confused:

I'll try a fabric store.
Click to expand...

Odd.. I wonder if I'll have the same results. That's where I've always been told to go.

Fabric store for sure. Michaels maybe? I don't know if they're in your area but that's where I'll be stoppin by if I can't find it at the hardware stores.

Keep us posted.

Brandon
 
Thanks for that article, haven't seen that one before. Hardware stores do not sell tulle fabric. You can usually find it at wally world where all the other fabrics are. A fabric or craft store should definitely have some.

I've had limited success with gluing flowers shut with rubber cement and it's a lot of tedious and delicate work.

Here's how I did mine this year:

PottedPlants07-04-1202.jpg


I'm having some problems with aphids with the plant on the right since the predators can't get to them.
 
Just came across this from another thread that linked it. I have been doing this for a good while. Fabric stores are where you need to go. I have been experimenting with color(reflected light is low but still there). White is good, but I have found a color can help IMO. I have also tried blue and red. This past season I did 2 Morouga scorpions in 5 gallon buckets. When it came time to isolate I covered one in red and one in blue. I got twice as many pods off the one covered in red. I have since tossed the bags I made with blue and only have 1 white and the rest are red.
 
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