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breeding Crossing Capsicum Flexuosum?

Zackorz

Zackorz

Hi,
 
i have seeds of a "capsicum flexuosum", and i wonder if you can cross this plant with some domestic varietes.
 
This would be very interesting, because the "flexuosum" has a good cold resistance.
 
The seeds are black, and the appearance is a little bit like a "pubescence", but i think they are not related.
 
You can try. They are all related, so with some luck, you can get some viable seeds. Try pollinating C. flexuosum flowers and use it's flowers to pollinate domestic variety you want to cross with it. Save as many seeds as possible, because they might not all be viable. Sometimes germination rate is extremely low and you only get successful hybrid if you make sure there are enough seeds.
 
Good luck!
 
C. flexuosum is indeed pretty closely related to C. pubescens.  Until the 80s(?) they were considered to be the same species.  IIRC pubecens (and presumably flexuosum) do not cross readily with more common species.  (There is a species cross-pollenation chart; google it.)
 
As for propogating cold resistance, I wouldn't even try it.  IF they cross, you will have to grow many plants then select and test for cold resistance and other desired traits, then repeat through at least 8 generations, possibly more if a selection is small. 
 
In the end you won't have a truly cold resistant variety anyway because no Capsicum truly is.  The high altitude "cold resistant" varieties will freeze off just as quickly as anything else up here in the North when winter hits.
 
Interesting idea, though.  Maybe someone will splice in some pansy genes...
 
DMF said:
C. flexuosum is indeed pretty closely related to C. pubescens.  Until the 80s(?) they were considered to be the same species.  IIRC pubecens (and presumably flexuosum) do not cross readily with more common species.  (There is a species cross-pollenation chart; google it.)
 
As for propogating cold resistance, I wouldn't even try it.  IF they cross, you will have to grow many plants then select and test for cold resistance and other desired traits, then repeat through at least 8 generations, possibly more if a selection is small. 
 
In the end you won't have a truly cold resistant variety anyway because no Capsicum truly is.  The high altitude "cold resistant" varieties will freeze off just as quickly as anything else up here in the North when winter hits.
 
Interesting idea, though.  Maybe someone will splice in some pansy genes...
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Thanks, so i will give it a try maybe. If not the resistance, at least the taste would be worth a cross. Flexuosum have supposedly a really unique taste and is relatively mild. Pubescens are normally hot. That could give a cool mix.
 
DMF said:
You mean cross F and P?  Should work, I guess.  Give it a try. 
 
Good luck.
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The flowers are like the flowers of "baccatum" peppers and the seeds are like "pubescens" seeds. 
 
Not much infos about this species, i think i really have to try it myself.
 
 
One Question: Does it make a difference, which plant is the "mother" and which the "father plant" when i cross them?
 
Or do i get the same result if i switch "mother" and" father plant" with each other?
 
Please keep updates if you do succeed, especially for people with similar climate to mine (Upper New Zealand) where our winter rarely drops to 0C, but it's enough to kill outdoor plants (I had about 1 in 10 chinenses survive winter without the frost cloth).
 
If you were to create a variety that is even slightly more cold resistant - that would be a very welcome type of peppers for those of us who's winters are borderline fatal, I can imagine my winter survival rates will increase significantly.
 
SentencedToBurn said:
Please keep updates if you do succeed, especially for people with similar climate to mine (Upper New Zealand) where our winter rarely drops to 0C, but it's enough to kill outdoor plants (I had about 1 in 10 chinenses survive winter without the frost cloth).
 
If you were to create a variety that is even slightly more cold resistant - that would be a very welcome type of peppers for those of us who's winters are borderline fatal, I can imagine my winter survival rates will increase significantly.
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I will give some feedback later on, (im starting germination in january). I only have a few seeds i hope i will get a plant. 
 
DMF said:
 
One Question: Does it make a difference, which plant is the "mother" and which the "father plant" when i cross them?
 
Or do i get the same result if i switch "mother" and" father plant" with each other?
Click to expand...
 
 AFAIK, no.
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Actually it does matter sometimes. If you look at the table on bottom of this page it sometimes does matter who is the father and the mother. Sadly this table does not include C. flexuosum, but it might help you find the possible species you can cross it with.
 
I'm looking forward to learn from your experiences :) I have thought about trying to do some interspecific crosses with C-flex myself. 
 
Ferby said:
 
Actually it does matter sometimes. If you look at the table on bottom of this page it sometimes does matter who is the father and the mother. Sadly this table does not include C. flexuosum, but it might help you find the possible species you can cross it with.
 
I'm looking forward to learn from your experiences :) I have thought about trying to do some interspecific crosses with C-flex myself. 
Click to expand...
 
Is just the "crossibility" changing, or can also the "F1 Generation" be different, when you switch the "parent plants"?
 
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