Flower pollination

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I have heard that if one of your tobacco flowers opens before you are able to bag them and you fear cross pollination you can just remove that flower and the immature pod behind it and any other protected seed that forms after that would grow true to the mother plant. Is this true? So based on that, could I potentially (if I could keep track of them all accurately) create many different intentional crosses on a single plant? I was also wondering when intentionally crossing two varieties, will the resulting seed be more influenced by whichever variety you choose to grow the seed out in? For example if I cross md 609 and harrow velvet burley by bringing a md 609 flower over to the burley plant and crossing it, will the resulting seed have stronger harrow velvet characteristics since it grew to fruition on that plant?

 

[deluxestogie]

I have heard that if one of your tobacco flowers opens before you are able to bag them and you fear cross pollination you can just remove that flower and the immature pod behind it and any other protected seed that forms after that would grow true to the mother plant. Is this true?

I have no idea what you are describing or asking. First, "I have heard" from what source? Secondly, you should always fear cross-pollination. Otherwise you're just expending a great deal of effort in order to grow heaven knows what kind of tobacco.

Cell mitochondria are inherited almost entirely from the female. So the offspring's intermediary metabolism would more closely reflect that of the female parent. I'm not sure about the chloroplasts.

Bob

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I have no idea what you are describing or asking. First, "I have heard" from what source? Secondly, you should always fear cross-pollination. Otherwise you're just expending a great deal of effort in order to grow heaven knows what kind of tobacco.

Cell mitochondria are inherited almost entirely from the female. So the offspring's intermediary metabolism would more closely reflect that of the female parent. I'm not sure about the chloroplasts.

Bob

My source is a comment from @chillardbee in your 2017 grow log. Here is a link to it https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/deluxestogie-grow-log-2017.7128/page-21#post-137368. And here is the exact comment:
"don't forget that if you're late getting the seed bags on, all you need to do is pinch off any flowers that are in bloom and any immature seed pods before placing your bag. happens to me quite often because the bloom sneaks up on me and time gets away.
I can't believe you're already getting flowers Bob. I'm just getting mine in the ground. I hope that the plants aren't solar sensitive to blooming since we're already over the hump of the longest day. I want to see my plants get as big as they possibly can get. " chillardbee. I apologize if I was unclear. Is chillardbee's advice correct or if an open flower is cross pollinated is it still unsafe to assume the resulting seed will grow true even after removing any in bloom flowers and immature seed pods they came from and placing your bud bags? I guess the answer to that question should answer my other questions...

 

[Knucklehead]

My source is a comment from @chillardbee in your 2017 grow log. Here is a link to it https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/deluxestogie-grow-log-2017.7128/page-21#post-137368. And here is the exact comment:
"don't forget that if you're late getting the seed bags on, all you need to do is pinch off any flowers that are in bloom and any immature seed pods before placing your bag. happens to me quite often because the bloom sneaks up on me and time gets away.
I can't believe you're already getting flowers Bob. I'm just getting mine in the ground. I hope that the plants aren't solar sensitive to blooming since we're already over the hump of the longest day. I want to see my plants get as big as they possibly can get. " chillardbee. I apologize if I was unclear. Is chillardbee's advice correct or if an open flower is cross pollinated is it still unsafe to assume the resulting seed will grow true even after removing any in bloom flowers and immature seed pods they came from and placing your bud bags? I guess the answer to that question should answer my other questions...

I made basically the same statement here, which in my mind I was attributing to a post by Jessica. Or I entirely misremembered.

Grow diary of 2021 first bulk grow: @Clatsopnehalem

How are you fertilizing? You referenced liquid compost and fish fertilizer during the seedling stage. Are you sticking to the non chemical fertilizers?

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

from what source?

To be clear, I didn't cite any source with this piece of information just in case it was bad advice. I figured "I have heard" was enough to let people know it wasn't my idea and prevent any hurt feelings at the same time. Just don't want to be painted a plagiarist. Plagiarism disgusts me...

 

[Knucklehead]

Regarding the second part of your first post, here are a couple of helpful threads:

How to Intentionally Cross Tobacco Varieties

Creating an intentional cross is technically easy, though it is tedious. Here, I explain the basic procedure. Unbagged tobacco blossoms will randomly cross with whatever varieties of N. tabacum happen to be growing within a half-mile. What you end up with, even from a single mature seed...

fairtradetobacco.com

Hazards or benifits from cross pollination of tobacco plant varietys.

Levi, Tobacco self-pollinates at about a 90% rate. So every unprotected year of pollination results in a 10% contamination with other strains within a radius of about 1/2 mile. Just bag the ones you want for seed. It's easy and solves the problem. Bob

fairtradetobacco.com

 

[Knucklehead]

I made basically the same statement here, which in my mind I was attributing to a post by Jessica. Or I entirely misremembered.

Grow diary of 2021 first bulk grow: @Clatsopnehalem

How are you fertilizing? You referenced liquid compost and fish fertilizer during the seedling stage. Are you sticking to the non chemical fertilizers?

fairtradetobacco.com

I found what I was looking for and the source of my statement that if a seed head has some open flowers, you can remove those flowers and the corresponding seed pods attached to them prior to bagging the plant. The remaining seed pods that had not yet individually flowered will remain uncrossed and can be bagged. The posts are from Jessica, the former curator of GRIN.

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-38860

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-44289

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-44523

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-44533

 

[deluxestogie]

Forgive me. Now I actually understand your question. I agree with all the subsequent posts. If an exposed blossom and its pod are removed, it has no effect on the remainder of the bud head.
"...and the immature pod behind it and any other protected seed that forms after that..." My aging brain needed a humble comma to separate the clauses.

Bob

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

Forgive me. Now I actually understand your question. I agree with all the subsequent posts. If an exposed blossom and its pod are removed, it has no effect on the remainder of the bud head.
"...and the immature pod behind it and any other protected seed that forms after that..." My aging brain needed a humble comma to separate the clauses.

Bob

Ha, sometimes I get excited and write in run-on sentences. I assume since it makes perfect sense to me, it MUST make perfect sense to everyone else who would read it.

 

[Tobaccofieldsforever]

I found what I was looking for and the source of my statement that if a seed head has some open flowers, you can remove those flowers and the corresponding seed pods attached to them prior to bagging the plant. The remaining seed pods that had not yet individually flowered will remain uncrossed and can be bagged. The posts are from Jessica, the former curator of GRIN.

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-38860

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-44289

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-44523

https://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/us-nicotiana-germplasm-collection-2013-nursery.2532/post-44533

Thank you very much! I love reading stuff like this. I'm like a pig in mud when I can discuss the science of tobacco. I want to learn everything I can about the biology, genetics, chemistry etc... of the tobacco plant!