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How to tell if a plant, or Seeds are hybrids or non-hybrid?

13 years ago

Hello,

I was wanting to dry some seeds, mostly sweet-corn but possibly also some haricot vert green beans. I'm wondering how I can tell from the original packaging if they are non-hybrids and therefore will product the same plant.

I suppose my other considerations are if I grew any compatible but different plants in the nearby area since pollination would generate a natualy hybridized seed correct?

Is it possible to buy sweet-corn from a farmer's market and know or have a good confidence that you could dry the seeds and produce the same crop next year?

Thanks for all help,

Scott

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Comments (6)

farmfreedom
13 years ago
was wanting to dry some seeds, mostly sweet-corn but possibly also some haricot vert green beans. I'm wondering how I can tell from the original packaging if they are non-hybrids and therefore will product the same plant.
1. If the package says "open pollinated " they are probably not hybrids .
  I suppose my other considerations are if I grew any compatible but different plants in the nearby area since pollination would generate a naturally hybridized seed correct? 2) separate the varieties by rows of tall sunflowers on all sides can cut down on accidental hybridization .
Is it possible to buy sweet-corn from a farmer's market and know or have a good confidence that you could dry the seeds and produce the same crop next year? 3) if you pick the overripe ears ,dry them completely ,store them in a tight jar so the bugs won't get at them you have a good chance . I have done it . do not let them get moldy however.
srj19
Original Author
13 years ago
Sounds good.

If I buy farmer's market corn what do you think my odds are to be getting non-hybrid stock? My favorite road-side stand is going out of business and they won't give up the type of corn seed they use!

Are there any physical characteristics of hybrid corn vs non-hybrid?

Scott
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farmfreedom
13 years ago
In hybrid corn you can get recessive traits in each generation.
srj19
Original Author
13 years ago
I guess what I was asking was: Is it possible to tell if you're holding a hybrid or non-hybrid by it's appearance and characterics?

If not, about what percent of corn on the cob for sale at markets is non-hybridized?

Thanks,

scott
canna2grow
13 years ago
Scott,
I believe the answer you are seeking is NO; you can not tell by looking at the appearance of the ear of corn. As you likely know all sweet corn seed is the result of hybridization and therefore all sweet corn would have to be classified as some form of hybrid.
A seed strain of corn may very well be open pollinated in isolated growing areas. Harvesting and replanting this corn would produce results similar to the original with the potential inbreeding problems associated.
The F-1 hybrid would be the result of the open pollination of a pollenizer cultivar with the detasseled seed parent. The offspring from this source would be unknown.
Packaging of seed may give an indication as to whether you have an F-1 hybrid or a seed strain. The germination rate is always printed and sometimes the "purity" is designated. The purity designation may reference a seed strain?

Kent
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I would like to harvest my own carrot seeds. On the seed packet from which the crop were grown it indicates that the seeds are not to be used for food feed or processing. They were produced by Stark Ayres and are the Kuroda variety. Are these likely to be hybrid or open pollinated. Any suggestions?

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