Genetics for easy home seed saving

[Darren Abbey]

In my garden last year I had some micro "Tiny Tim" plants. I saved seed and started several this year. One seedling was not a micro and thus is a hybrid. This got me thinking about how recessive traits can be used to screen out unintentional hybrids in seed saved from year to year.

In my garden this year I've got "Indigo Rose" (with the atv gene), some random potato-leaved variety, and the micro TT from last year. Each of these has a distinctive recessive trait, making hybrids obvious.

Though I wouldn't want to sell or distribute seed that was produced without proper isolation, for home use I can grow these varieties in close proximity and not worry about having hybrids take over my seed stock since I can easily screen out the hybrids.

Are there any other traits around that would be useful for a home gardener to maintain genetic 'isolation' in this way?

[Redbaron]

People use PL that way

[Darren Abbey]

Originally Posted by Redbaron

People use PL that way

I kinda figured people might, though I hadn't exactly heard someone say it directly.

I was wondering what other recessive traits were around that might be used this way... so I could increase the number of varieties I grow with limited efforts needed to maintain genetic separation.