Solanaceae.
Geranium Kiss Hypertress Tomato, photo by Dylana Kapuler.
Since we originally began growing food with heirloom cultivars, it soon became apparent that some heirlooms did better than others in terms of vigor, productivity, seed production and food quality. We chose and continue to look for fine heirlooms as parents in making new kinds.
After growing more than 200 varieties of tomatoes during our decades of organic gardening, we had established preferences and picked our favorites for parents. It takes just a few minutes to make a cross. It takes many months and years to follow the cross to new and improved varieties.
While our first crosses were with heirlooms, now many new kinds come from the intercrossing of varieties that have taken us years to develop. Familiarity and experience are necessary for sustaining and developing worthwhile new cultivars.
After growing more than 200 varieties of tomatoes during our decades of organic gardening, we had established preferences and picked our favorites for parents. It takes just a few minutes to make a cross. It takes many months and years to follow the cross to new and improved varieties.
While our first crosses were with heirlooms, now many new kinds come from the intercrossing of varieties that have taken us years to develop. Familiarity and experience are necessary for sustaining and developing worthwhile new cultivars.
For a more in depth look at Public Domain Plant Breeding, please see the following paper:
Link:
public_domain_plant_breeding_overview.pdf
Link:
public_domain_plant_breeding_overview.pdf
Also please see the following articles:
Diploids, Hybrids, Landraces and Grexes,
by Alan M. Kapuler PhD, Dylana Kapuler, Mario DiBenedetto, Linda Kapuler:
Link:
by Alan M. Kapuler PhD, Dylana Kapuler, Mario DiBenedetto, Linda Kapuler:
Link:
Organic Seeds and Public Domain Plant Breeding
Alan M. Kapuler Ph.D:
"Biopiracy is big business. So is owning and controlling the foodsystem. Tied to the land, water, and resources, our prevalent agriculture is suffering from monocultures, petrochemical inputs, the tyranny of machines, insufficiency of human labor and the hegemony of the wall street banking system.
So control of the seeds, particularly the control of availability, variety and diversity of crop plant seeds which in turn reflects the directions of collecting, breeding and selection by governments, corporations, universities, plant breeders, seed companies and backyard gardeners determine what is available to us as consumers, cooks, gardeners, farmers, eaters, ecologists; people all."
Link for full article:
Alan M. Kapuler Ph.D:
"Biopiracy is big business. So is owning and controlling the foodsystem. Tied to the land, water, and resources, our prevalent agriculture is suffering from monocultures, petrochemical inputs, the tyranny of machines, insufficiency of human labor and the hegemony of the wall street banking system.
So control of the seeds, particularly the control of availability, variety and diversity of crop plant seeds which in turn reflects the directions of collecting, breeding and selection by governments, corporations, universities, plant breeders, seed companies and backyard gardeners determine what is available to us as consumers, cooks, gardeners, farmers, eaters, ecologists; people all."
Link for full article:
Cherry Tomato Trials from Local Breeders Selections
by Alan and Linda Kapuler:
Link:
by Alan and Linda Kapuler:
Link:
Tomatoes That Occasionally Outbreed
Alan M. Kapuler Ph.D.
Link:
Alan M. Kapuler Ph.D.
Link:
The Importance of Soybeans for Local Organic Sustainability:
Primary Human Food for the Current Age
Alan M. Kapuler Ph.D.
Link:
the_importance_of_soybeans_.pdf
Primary Human Food for the Current Age
Alan M. Kapuler Ph.D.
Link:
the_importance_of_soybeans_.pdf
From the series of high anthocyanin sweet corns.
For a look into the benefits of heirloom varieties, see the following PDF: