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Old March 2, 2009   #3
TZ-OH6
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mid-Ohio
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I'm not possitive but the blacks are the most likely suspects. The lime green salads were planted next to the house at the base of a Black Krim, Paul Robeson, and Black Prince. There were some other varieties in the row, but I figure these blacks will be parents of some/most of the crossed seed due to their size, proximity and amount of flowers.


Dwarfism is a recessive trait so any crossed seeds-seedlings from the Lime Green Salads should show the dominant traits of the other parent early on. Even at the cotyledon stage I could tell/suspect the difference, cotyledon leaves were more pointed, and longer. The crossed seedlings also grew higher than the rest of the crowd (50 seeds per 4" pot). I waited until the first leaf stage before pulling and repotting. At that stage the plants were taller and the shape and textures of the first true leaves was very different. I may have missed some while guessing at that early stage, but none of the ones I guessed at have turned into LGS as they got larger. I am growing some of the typical seedlings in with these.

Even when bees get to a flower the bulk of the seed has been self pollinated. These test fruits had between 5% and 15% crossed seed (F1).

The seed came from four different fruits, and there is variation in the look of the saved F1 seedlings (leaf color and tooth pattern-shape, but all grow like "normal" seedlings) so I'm pretty sure there are multiple fathers.
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