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Most commercial varieties these days are hybrids. Many of the desirable traits are fixed for the plants that grow from that "F1" generation. But if you try to p
by sprucely 9y ago
Most commercial varieties these days are hybrids. Many of the desirable traits are fixed for the plants that grow from that "F1" generation. But if you try to plant harvested seeds from those plants ("F2" generation) you'll get inconsistent results. It's possible to isolate particular traits via selfing and selecting for those traits. It's a years-long process, but I could see that happening in countries not beholden to Monsanto or trade deals.
- dbcurtis 9y agoIt is true for maize that you can create an unstable hybrid, which has been used as a form of IP control by corn seed companies for longer than I have been alive. That is also true for numerous other plants. As far as I know, it is not possible to create an unstable soybean hybrid, which is why Monsanto went the licensing route.
- cisanti 9y agoWhat does unstable in this context exactly mean?
- Natanael_L 9y agoChance of successful replication of the desirable traits to the offspring (seeds) of the plants
- dbcurtis 9y agoIf you replant the unstable seed it might not germinate, if it does is likely to be stunted and sterile.
- sprucely 9y agoMy understanding of beans is that it is possible, but not commercially feasible. Something about the yield of seeds per plant versus the effort to control the crossing of parental inbred lines.