wanted ISO train

[CAPCOM]

This is the perfect time for this with the upcoming season just starting. The success of the wild seed train is bordering on phenomenal right now. I want to one up it though.
One of the disappointments I have faced, is planting seed in December and nurturing the plant for 8 mos only to find out it is not even the same species of pepper.
 
Although I have also gotten some very nice selections that are not designated as isolated, My interest is starting a train next year for ISO selections only. My tastes have been getting more defined as I have gotten myself more and more into hot peppers. And as crosses are interesting and have their place. I think there is a niche for certified pure strains. I also feel any potential crosses that you might want to work with may be more satisfying if conducted with seeds that have no genetic baggage.
 
 
I am opening this thread to suggestions on how best to establish requirements for designating ISO or an ISO standard for the train.
 
Anyone interested in participating, even maybe, offer up your thoughts.

 

[Spokanepepperman]

Phenomenal idea

 

[jcw10tc]

Only issue I see is how to verify something is isolated.   I had poor luck myself this year but did get about 5 variieties isolated, but not enough to put on a train, barely enough for my own use next year really, just one pod in 3 of those bads, and did have 2 sb7js isolated and about 4 daisy cutters which I would spare a few of.  I tracked all my results from this year as best I could for trueness.  What I found was that I had no better percentage of trueness from some of the most respected vendors than I did from trades/trains and some cheap ebay purchases.  Had about 75 - 80 % from those 3 groups.  I had seeds I paid $6 for that not only were more challenging to germinate than the ones from trades but also did not grow true.  I also took into account for possibility of instability for crosses, but some of these were so far off what the pepper should have been or any of the possible parents had no choice but to assume they were crosses.  Had a particular 7 pot variety that was shaped like a jalapeno, ripened to red and was very mild.  One of the plants did grow true, and this pod shape of the true one is no where near any type of jalapeno pod.

 

[Aerial]

Ingenious!  I love the idea that'll encourage more home growers to isolate their blossoms or plants for seed saving.
 
This will have to be an honor system and probably work better with someone hosting a swap, and requiring participants to include their usernames on each bagged seeds. 

 

[Guatemalan Insanity Pepper]

Ingenious!  I love the idea that'll encourage more home growers to isolate their blossoms or plants for seed saving.
 
This will have to be an honor system and probably work better with someone hosting a swap, and requiring participants to include their usernames on each bagged seeds. 

Wut.!?
 
I thought putting your name/username on bagged seeds was standard... I have been putting the source of my seeds and  my username if I grew them out myself on all traded seeds.
 
Unfortunately I have very little isolated seeds to trade. (ony a few of each kind i grew)

However, I also love the idea of encouraging more home growers to isolate their blossoms or plants for seed saving/trading.
 
 

G I P

 

[Lovepeppers]

Sounds like a good idea Jeff! Next year I will concentrate on isolation. I had 95 plants in ground in a 17'x25' area. Most of my plants got to 4' to 6' tall, so I know there has to be some crossing going on.

 

[SmokenFire]

I have plenty of stuff that's from vendors only that I would gladly contribute to this train.  

 

[CAPCOM]

Phenomenal idea

Thx, glad you think so.
 

Only issue I see is how to verify something is isolated.   I had poor luck myself this year but did get about 5 variieties isolated, but not enough to put on a train, barely enough for my own use next year really, just one pod in 3 of those bads, and did have 2 sb7js isolated and about 4 daisy cutters which I would spare a few of.  I tracked all my results from this year as best I could for trueness.  What I found was that I had no better percentage of trueness from some of the most respected vendors than I did from trades/trains and some cheap ebay purchases.  Had about 75 - 80 % from those 3 groups.  I had seeds I paid $6 for that not only were more challenging to germinate than the ones from trades but also did not grow true.  I also took into account for possibility of instability for crosses, but some of these were so far off what the pepper should have been or any of the possible parents had no choice but to assume they were crosses.  Had a particular 7 pot variety that was shaped like a jalapeno, ripened to red and was very mild.  One of the plants did grow true, and this pod shape of the true one is no where near any type of jalapeno pod.

That is precisely why we should now establish criteria to define minimum requirements for isolated. I have already decided next years grow is to be significantly reduced among other things. I think things will be a little dicey till it really becomes established and we get all the bugs worked out.
 

Ingenious!  I love the idea that'll encourage more home growers to isolate their blossoms or plants for seed saving.
 
This will have to be an honor system and probably work better with someone hosting a swap, and requiring participants to include their usernames on each bagged seeds. 

That's how the trains work in general.
 

Wut.!?
 
I thought putting your name/username on bagged seeds was standard... I have been putting the source of my seeds and  my username if I grew them out myself on all traded seeds.
 
Unfortunately I have very little isolated seeds to trade. (ony a few of each kind i grew)

However, I also love the idea of encouraging more home growers to isolate their blossoms or plants for seed saving/trading.
 
 

G I P

That is why I wont fire it up till next year. You have time now to prepare for and grow isolated stock.
 

Sounds like a good idea Tony! Next year I will concentrate on isolation. I had 95 plants in ground in a 17'x25' area. Most of my plants got to 4' to 6' tall, so I know there has to be some crossing going on.

Jeff.
I had a similar grow with 345 plants, so I know the dilemma.
 

I have plenty of stuff that's from vendors only that I would gladly contribute to this train.  

That sounds fantastic, would be glad to have you.

 

[Genetikx]

It will be difficult to get a good amount of people to contribute a good amount of seeds that were truly isolated.

I suggest an honor system where you only picked seeds from pods that you are certain grew true. I had around 80 plants this year and probably half grew true. I only saved seeds from these plants and only the best pods. I think a train like this is the only way to get a good turn out. I'm certain some of the seeds I got last year (not necessarily from the awesome people here) weren't true to begin with.

 

[CAPCOM]

It will be difficult to get a good amount of people to contribute a good amount of seeds that were truly isolated.
I suggest an honor system where you only picked seeds from pods that you are certain grew true. I had around 80 plants this year and probably half grew true. I only saved seeds from these plants and only the best pods. I think a train like this is the only way to get a good turn out. I'm certain some of the seeds I got last year (not necessarily from the awesome people here) weren't true to begin with.

What you are suggesting does not in any way certify the seeds you saved will grow true. The developed pod from which you secured them, though it appeared true may not resemble anything that it's seed produces.

There are many ways to isolate plants or even specific flowers and all of those methods are posted in this forum.

I further think that to be successful it would have to be held to a higher standard than an honor system. It would be more like, I am putting my integrity on the line to certify the seeds I am contributing are indeed isolated.

Now unless you have been growing ISO plants forever or growing your offering for 8 generations in isolation, there is bound to be a little mud here and there. But it should a rarity.

Like with any seed train just starting out, it is slow at first. Then it builds interest and then reputation. And then it's a fireball.

 

[Genetikx]

Aware of the above and yea makes sense to have a slow roll out that gradually builds over time. I have a few true isos that are also true phenotypes to contribute right away.

 

[CAPCOM]

Aware of the above and yea makes sense to have a slow roll out that gradually builds over time. I have a few true isos that are also true phenotypes to contribute right away.

Great, I would highly suggest reading up on the rules of the other train so you are familiar with them, as they will apply across the board.
What I may do is add it temporarily as a companion car to the regular train maybe adding the wild seed to that as well until enough participation has occurred for them to stand on their own.
 
I have been looking for material to fabricate whole plant bags. this sounds like it may be the ticket.  http://www.gardeners.com/how-to/row-covers/5111.html