Hybrid Vigor?

Question for you Marc :

At what point did hybrid vigor become synonymous with larger fruit size? If this was true, then why aren't most of the hybrid varieties of vegetables on the market today large cultivars? It has been my understanding that hybrid vigor, the phenomenon that occurs when two dissimilar (but compatible), homozygous lines are crossed, often manifests itself in more vigorous plant growth, and increase in the volume of fruit and seed production, and/or increased disease resistance, but rarely in a specific increase in the size of individual fruit. Where did the notion of bigger fruit come from? In talking with a number of veteran plant breeders, I came to the understanding that the careful selection and reselection of exceptional specimens, generation after generation, was the accepted method of breeding increased size into a strain.

Not looking for an argument, just looking to learn.

_________________________________________________________________
Enjoy the holiday season with great tips from MSN. http://special.msn.com/network/happyholidays.armx

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Pumpkin-growing archives: http://www.hort.net/lists/pumpkins/
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE PUMPKINS

Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index