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Re: hybrid vs. non hybrid (was None)

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

     OK, here's the difference between hybrid and open-pollinated seeds. F1 
hybrid seed is the result of a cross between two specific parent plants. The 
reason hybrid seed is more expensive than OP is because this has to be done 
over and over...there's no saving hybrids from one year to the next for 
commercial seed prodicers. F2 hybrids are even more expensive and are crosses 
of an F1 hybrid and another plant. 
     F1 and F2 hybrid seeds (most hybrids are F1) will produce very few, if 
any, plants identical to the parent plant. They can revert back to one or the 
other of the original plants or cross or self pollinate amongst themselves 
and create a totally different plant. IOW, it's like a box of chocolates, you 
never know what you're going to get.
    Within 4-6 plantings, if the same seed is saved, any hybrids will become 
stabilized and produce true to form (true to whatever they have stabilized 
to). Many of the "heirloom" seeds are the product of hybrid stabilization.
     OTOH, open pollinated seeds will produce true to form from year to year 
if they are kept from cross pollinating with another in their species (like 
pumpkins and squash, for example, which will cross and produce inedible 
"squashkins"). Others are self-fertile and/or resistant to cross pollination 
and don't require too much vigilance against crossing....like tomatoes, 
beans, lettuces. 
     Hybrids are known for their vigor, yield, and disease resistance, 
although many OPs have those same qualities.
     If your goal is to save seed from year to year and you don't want to 
devote a lot of space to experimentation, open pollinated is the way to go. 
If you want to buy new seed every year, hybrid seed grows wonderful plants. 
If you have a few years to wait for your hybrids to stabilize, save the seed 
and select seed from the best plants each year and eventually you'll have 
your very own variety.

HTH
Lisa Viger

In a message dated 99-07-01 15:53:44 EDT, you write:
<< You can use seeds from a hybrid plant next year, and they will probably 
 produce an edible (or attractive, or whatever) plant, but it could be quite 
 different from the parent plant.  A lot of hybrid tomatoes, for example, 
 will revert back to a cherry tomato the next year if you use those seeds--it 
 probably had a cherry tomato as one of its parents.  Non-hybrid seeds will 
 come true to the parent plant.  Someone else who understands genetics will 
 probably give a more complete answer.
 
 >From: "Nate and Sandy Moffet" <moffets@home.com>
 >To: <sqft@listbot.com>
 >Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 10:25:59 -0700
 >Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html
 >
 >Can anyone explain the difference between non-hybrid seeds and hybrid?  I
 >know non-hybrid is supposed to be good for seeds for the next year, but why
 >can't you use the seeds from the hybrid?
 >Totally confused
  >>


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