Chimera pepper? Really interesting!

b3rnd · Nov 21, 2017

Hey people!

Some time ago I saw this post on reddit about a very peculiar pepper. It was half green, half white, split in the middle. The leaves were too. I told the guy to post it here, but I don't think he did. I still think it's worth sharing so I'll just do it.

Link to the imgur gallery
Link to the reddit post

What do you guys think? I've never seen anything like it before. Do you think it could be hereditary?

CMJ · Nov 21, 2017

b3rnd said:
Hey people!

Some time ago I saw this post on reddit about a very peculiar pepper. It was half green, half white, split in the middle. The leaves were too. I told the guy to post it here, but I don't think he did. I still think it's worth sharing so I'll just do it.

Link to the imgur gallery
Link to the reddit post

What do you guys think? I've never seen anything like it before. Do you think it could be hereditary?

My instinct says that it is photoshopped, the lines are just too perfect.Then again, we have a sub species of Crappie(fish) here that when people see pics they think its bogus because there is a black stripe from its lips to its tail. Off topic I know, but its all I could come up with. If it's real, then I have no idea, lol!

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AJ Drew · Nov 21, 2017

I am sure it is possible because it happens with animals. Believe it or not, goat and sheep can create geep. But it is incredibly rare. But if it is going to happen, it should be chocolate and white so we can call it a swirl. I do not think it is hereditary or the goat sheep thing would be a fad.

Peter S · Nov 21, 2017

I remember seeing that facebook post, I think it had been painted.

DaQatz · Nov 21, 2017

AJ Drew said:
I am sure it is possible because it happens with animals. Believe it or not, goat and sheep can create geep. But it is incredibly rare. But if it is going to happen, it should be chocolate and white so we can call it a swirl. I do not think it is hereditary or the goat sheep thing would be a fad.

That's a hybrid not a chimera. A chimera is when when two distinct sets of genetics exist in one animal/plant. In animals this happens when you have two zygotes mix that are from separate fertilizations.

Example of a chimera cat.

Diafond · Nov 21, 2017

Yes, very interesting, but most likely not hereditary. Chimeras are usually propagated using cuttings or grafts.

spicefreak · Nov 21, 2017

To the best of my knowledge, the only other case of a chimeric pepper is the stripey "Enjoya" bell, in which the genetic variability was artificially induced.
I am curious to see how this one ripens.

SmokenFire · Nov 21, 2017

If I had to guess I'd say it was shopped. But Fish peppers that I've grown the last five or so years have variegated leaves and fruits, so it's possible.

Fish pepper:

They ripen to a uniform bright red though...

Walchit · Nov 21, 2017

That crappie looks like it has a big mouth too

peppamang · Nov 21, 2017

I've got a goat's weed cross that grows some funky variegation but nothing like that. Pretty cool if it's real!

AJ Drew · Nov 21, 2017

DaQatz said:
That's a hybrid not a chimera. A chimera is when when two distinct sets of genetics exist in one animal/plant. In animals this happens when you have two zygotes mix that are from separate fertilizations.

Example of a chimera cat.

You are right. I mixed two thoughts. There is a Geep hybrid and a Geep chimera. The chimera is produced in a lab.

NIbbles · Nov 21, 2017

I don't think it is real, but if it is that's kinda neat!

The_NorthEast_ChileMan · Dec 1, 2017

NIbbles said:
I don't think it is real, but if it is that's kinda neat!

`
Initially I was on the photo shopped band wagon until I saw this, UF Pepper Diseases - Chimera. If you click on the link in the OP, Link to the imgur gallery, and look at the leaf pic then the one in the FU article I'm thinking hum... Then the next two pix I found kinda puts the cherry on top.

Bicycle808 · Dec 1, 2017

Yeah but brothermang's half-white pod has the white going up the frikkin' STEM. Definitely fake. When he posted it on FB, he included other pics from other angles, which dispelled the Photoshop theory somewhat but I agree with Peter S. I think it's painted.

Diafond · Dec 2, 2017

I see little reason to suspect it's fake. Remember what a chimera is. It is a plant (or animal) with two types of cells that are genetically different. In this case it looks like there was a mutation in one of the plant's cells which prevents the production of chlorophyll (albinism). This probably happened close to a growing tip, or otherwise it wouldn't have spread as it did. If you look closely at the fruit picture you can see that a thin stripe of white growth runs up the main stem before it reaches the fruit stem where it becomes more pronounced.

The two pictures of half green pods that someone posted doesn't look like chimeras to me. It just seems like they have ripened halfway and if they had been left on the plant the whole fruit would probably have changed colour. In a true chimera I would expect the border between the two tissues to be much sharper.

Someone also mentioned the fish pepper but could it really be a chimera since it grow true from seed?

spicefreak · Dec 2, 2017

Pretty sure the Fish isn't a chimera but the Enjoya is. Hence why it's only ever grown from cuttings.

EDIT: The best explanation of it I've seen: http://the-biologist-is-in.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/biology-of-enjoya-pepper.html

Dinsdale · Jan 18, 2018

I don't think it's fake. I've seen this kind of thing in cannabis.

The_NorthEast_ChileMan · Jan 18, 2018

Dinsdale said:
I don't think it's fake. I've seen this kind of thing in cannabis.

And exactly what were you doing with pot in Switzerland? :high:

Dinsdale · Jan 20, 2018

I was learning indoor gardening! Good times

siling_labuyo · Feb 20, 2018

Question: Will the seeds from a Chimera pod still be viable?