Why not cross a variety again?

[charlie5heen]

If someone had a very special, maybe even world record breaking chili and the first generation seed was highly sought, why not follow the cross the creator did?  I'd expect the stable parents wouldn't have enough genetic variability to cause too many extreme differences.  I dunno, but someone may have some ideas.

 

[hottoddy]

You sure can. That's why the Reaper is listed as a cross between a Bhut and Pakistani Habanero ...  :  :  : Red Herrings aside, many people do the same (or very similar) crosses. Sometimes the results are very similar, but plenty of variation can exist. I think there are something like 8 versions of the Chocolate Bhutlah - some very similar to each other. But I don't think 1st generations are that highly sought after by most growers ... the 2nd gen could produce different shapes, colors, heat ...
 

 

[cruzzfish]

 I'd expect the stable parents wouldn't have enough genetic variability to cause too many extreme differences. 

Oh they do. They definitely do. Genes are recombined when they reproduce, so you get quite a lot of variability even with two stable parents. Following the cross won't get you to the same place, especially by the time the cross becomes stable.

 

[karoo]

If someone had a very special, maybe even world record breaking chili and the first generation seed was highly sought, why not follow the cross the creator did?  I'd expect the stable parents wouldn't have enough genetic variability to cause too many extreme differences.  I dunno, but someone may have some ideas.

You say  " and the first generation seed was highly sought" ,
I think it is first stabilised over 6-7 generations.
 
You can of course try any cross you want , but ,if the creator was truthful about the parentage , the creator has saved you several generations of stabilising.

 

[charlie5heen]

You say  " and the first generation seed was highly sought" ,
I think it is first stabilised over 6-7 generations.
 
You can of course try any cross you want , but ,if the creator was truthful about the parentage , the creator has saved you several generations of stabilising.

I was thinking if people wanted a different phenotype than what the creator had.

 

[karoo]

Now I get it. 

 

[Buzzman19]

There was another thread describing the hottest small pepper and Datil posted about a Naga x Tobasco and that cross was very nice.  I made the comment that last season I grew a Tobasco x Bhut but I didnt like it because it was too mushy, it really needed another round of bhut dna to get rid of some of those Tobasco characteristics. 
 
So in some cases I think a recross is in order, in other cases I think you should leave well enough alone.  In the case of the Bhut x Tobasco it is only improving the cross to increase desired characteristics. 
 
I think people are just to cross happy now, just my opinion.