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breeding Cross pollination?

This year I'd like to experiment with cross pollinating some of my pepper plants. Problem is I haven't a clue how to or what would be some good ones to cross. The plants I have include:

Carolina Reaper
White Habanero
Chocolate Habanero
Carribean Red Habanero
Tazmanian Habanero
Yatsufusa
Yellow Ghost
Trinidad Scorpion
Red Peter
Yellow Bell

Now I need advice on a few things.

1.) How do I do it? I know that it involves somehow transferring the pollen from one flower to another, but what's the best method to avoid self pollination? I've heard of opening new flowers before they open on their own, but unfortunately growing inside isn't possible.

2.) What are some good combinations? If I cross the white habs with a larger variety (they are small and bullet shaped) is there a chance I'll get large white habaneros?

3.) Are there any two that are incompatible?

4.) I've been hearing stuff about the F1 and F2 generation deal, and I understand that the F2 generation will vary in appearance quite a bit, but will the F1 generation look like one of the original parents?

5.) If I cross 2 of the super hot varieties is there a chance I'll make an even hotter one?

All help would be appreciated with any of the questions! Thank you!
 
Besides hand cross pollinating you can try to isolate two plants together that you want to cross. You can do so by using some kind of small mesh netting or something similar to it.
 
If you cross a yellow bell pepper and a bhut jolokia you'd get an F1 of a Bellokia, red is dominant in peppers so all of the F1s would be red, but some of the F2s would be yellow, if you crossed the yellow F2s you'd have a yellow bellokia...after that you'd have to cross it with one of the originals again because it'd be getting too inbred.

All of the hotter peppers will cross the only types you might have trouble crossbreeding would be Chinense and Pubescens or some of the wild ones.

To crossbreed just pull off every part of the unopened flower besides the stigma, then get some pollen on your finger from some other plant and put it on the stigma. If you pull everything off too early it won't be fertile, if you pull everything off too late it might self pollinate so it's kind of random. On the other hand insects or the wind can cause cross pollination so you'll just have to try it and see.
 
All of the hotter peppers will cross with he only types you might have trouble crossbreeding would be Chinense and Pubescens or some of the wild ones.

To crossbreed just pull off every part of the unopened flower besides the stigma, then get some pollen on your finger from some other plant and put it on the stigma. If you pull everything off too early it won't be fertile, if you pull everything off too late it might self pollinate so it's kind of random. On the other hand insects or the wind can cause cross pollination so you'll just have to try it and see.

Actually, you're wrong on this part. Chinense cross pretty readily. The Pubescens will only cross with Pubescens. I'm not sure about the wilds.

 
My understanding is that (almost) any plant within the same genus as another can cross pollinate, regardless of species. According to my Horticulture professor anyway, although there are always exceptions here and there.
 
You're right ScarletFire. According to chileman.org and fatalii.net all of the domestic species will cross with all the other domestic species except for Pubescens.
 
Actually, you're wrong on this part. Chinense cross pretty readily. The Pubescens will only cross with Pubescens. I'm not sure about the wilds.

Since you're agreeing with me I guess I worded that wrong.

T[background=rgb(255, 250, 242)]he only types you can't crossbreed would be Chinense WITH Pubescens*[/background]

Thanks for the info! Would the Bellokia's be hot or what? Sounds pretty cool.

yeah, it wouldn't be hotter than the original but if you had 2 super hot types they might end up hotter.

There's a bunch of theories about how to make peppers hotter but nothing really proven to work.
 
wait so pubescens and chinense's are the only ones that cant cross? can i cross anuums with chinense then?

Ok to clear up any confusion...If you try to cross a Pubescens with anything other than a Pubescens, it will not work. All of the other domesticated species will cross breed with varying success

Here's one of the best articles I've found on breeding chilies

http://fatalii.net/growing/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=35&Itemid=54
 
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