Growing hops from seed

[brewerelated]

Due to the difficulties I've been having in promoting germination I decided to excise some embryos and place directly onto media. Now, provided at each interval I maintained sterile technique (I do try!), I should be able to see growth (if the plant embryo is viable.....). Here's hoping!

Do you have an pictures of the excised individuals? Hopefully your plants will grow.

 

[PapaBearJay]

I plan on taking some on Monday morning, as I don't hVe any currently. But if you can imagine a small curled-up hop embryo, nestled finely into a gelled media culture, much like the previous photos I posted, you'll have an idea.


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[DarkCoder]

I plan on taking some on Monday morning, as I don't hVe any currently. But if you can imagine a small curled-up hop embryo, nestled finely into a gelled media culture, much like the previous photos I posted, you'll have an idea.


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Is oxygen available to the seeds/seedling in your special gel ?

 

[PapaBearJay]

There is the oxygen that was present when I initiated the cultures, so yes there is. I'm not positive if the boxes have selectively permeable lids for oxygen exchange or not, but even so, once the seed has begun growing I can change to a new container or harden it off into a greenhouse.


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[DarkCoder]

PapaBearJay... I feel a little bit ashamed to say that I am starting to ask myself where to put the hop's seedling.


I have 12 newly sprout seedling and 5 older seedling.


Simple recipe: seeds 24h in a bowl of water, 2 days in a very wet (but not dripping) paper towel in the fridge inside a Ziplock bag (not closed), remove the excess water from the paper towel and keep seeds 2 more weeks in the fridge in the moist paper towel inside the Ziplock, remove from the fridge and slightly crack the seed shell if you can (don't press too hard or you might kill the embryo), put the open Ziplock with the paper towel on top of your fridge (temperature is around 24 d Celsius there).

I don't do any sterilization and once the seed is sprouted, I put the single root inside the peat moss of my Jiffy pot...but I keep the "head" of the seeds out of the peat moss...it prevents the rotting of the seed.

Over a 1 month period, I am getting at least 10% of germination, which is ok for me, as long as I can get a couple of seedlings for my experiment.

 

[nagmay]

The 2014 seedlings have really taken off. Several are over 2' tall and starting to touch the lights. They are probably ready to be re-potted and moved outside - however, it's still frosting at night here.

 

[nagmay]

I also took a moment to look at the bottom of the pots - sure enough, healthy roots have already reached the bottom.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Well done!!


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[DarkCoder]

The 2014 seedlings have really taken off. Several are over 2' tall and starting to touch the lights. They are probably ready to be re-potted and moved outside - however, it's still frosting at night here.

What soil mixture do you use ? Your plants seem to enjoy it...my peat moss is ok but seems like it is slowing down their initial growth. What size are your pots ?

 

[nagmay]

My preferred soil is actually a blocking mixture: http://gabriel.nagmay.com/2014/02/soil-blocks/

The coir in the mixture helps retain moisture and provides excellent drainage. It is also easy for young roots to move thorough and retains its shape well when transplanting.

The pots are 2 3/8x5 "deep tree bands" from Anderson. They are cheap and offer a lot of benefits over conventional round pots - especially when dealing with hundreds of seedlings each spring.

However ... I must admit that the real key is lighting. I have these babies under some super powerful metal halide lamps right now.

Cheers.

 

[brewerelated]

Awesome work. I can't wait to grow some seedlings of my own.

 

[PapaBearJay]

nagmay, feel like passing along cuttings yet?

 

[DarkCoder]

nagmay, feel like passing along cuttings yet?

Cheater !! Grow your own....

(just kidding)

 

[nagmay]

nagmay, feel like passing along cuttings yet?

I'll assume that you are most interested in male plants. The current seedlings are from a cross utilizing feminized pollen and are (most likely) all female.

I do have a male neomexicanus that I sprouted in 2013. However, it's planted outdoors and hasn't started sending out bines yet. When it does, I plan to layer some clones and may be able to trade later in the spring.

Or, to expedite things - I may be able to simply share pollen from the male.

I'm going to go out on a limb here to bet that you are the same person at University of Minnesota, whose name started with 'J' that contacted me earlier in the year via email? If so, you are already on the pollen list. If not, I'll add you - and have a cool person to introduce you to...

 

[PapaBearJay]

I'm interested in any and all plants, my efforts will likely be most successful by creating several different populations and families.

I'll assume that you are most interested in male plants. The current seedlings are from a cross utilizing feminized pollen and are (most likely) all female.

I do have a male neomexicanus that I sprouted in 2013. However, it's planted outdoors and hasn't started sending out bines yet. When it does, I plan to layer some clones and may be able to trade later in the spring.

Or, to expedite things - I may be able to simply share pollen from the male.

I'm going to go out on a limb here to bet that you are the same person at University of Minnesota, whose name started with 'J' that contacted me earlier in the year via email? If so, you are already on the pollen list. If not, I'll add you - and have a cool person to introduce you to...

 

[DarkCoder]

Still growing nicely...

 

[PapaBearJay]

Still growing nicely...

I like your plant code. Any plants I receive through here will have HBT as their designators....

 

[nagmay]

Unfortunatly, I didn't get the chance to pot up the plants last weekend and they are starting to get out of control. Those are 3' bamboo poles that they are outrunning...

 

[alane1]

nice work Nagmay, are those the Cascade x?

 

[nagmay]

These are crosses from Cascade, Chinook and Sterling. The pollen came from a female plant (feminized pollen).

 

[DarkCoder]

These are crosses from Cascade, Chinook and Sterling. The pollen came from a female plant (feminized pollen).

What is the variety of the female plant from which the pollen is coming from ? Is that a secret ?

 

[nagmay]

As stated earlier, I am going to keep that to myself for now.

I've tried breeding with feminized pollen many times - there were never any positive results. So, there is a change that this is from a true male that snuck into the yard. I don't want to lead others down a futile path without confirmation.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Unfortunatly, I didn't get the chance to pot up the plants last weekend and they are starting to get out of control. Those are 3' bamboo poles that they are outrunning...

Is there any major phenotypic variation yet?

 

[nagmay]

Is there any major phenotypic variation yet?

Yes, indeed there is.

Overall, the Chinook crosses seem to be growing at a faster rate than the others and have darker leaves. However, even among siblings there are some major differences.

A few of the more interesting specimens include:

• One that started with multi-lobed leaves.
• One with a deep purple stem and monster spikes - including spikes around the leaf margin!
• A runt. Small yellow leaves and slow growth.

Unfortunatly, the quadfoliate that I identified earlier reverted.

 

[DarkCoder]

As stated earlier, I am going to keep that to myself for now.

I've tried breeding with feminized pollen many times - there were never any positive results. So, there is a change that this is from a true male that snuck into the yard. I don't want to lead others down a futile path without confirmation.

I respect that.

It's strange that hop's cousin is able to create viable seeds with feminize pollen but not hop.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Yes, indeed there is.

Overall, the Chinook crosses seem to be growing at a faster rate than the others and have darker leaves. However, even among siblings there are some major differences.

A few of the more interesting specimens include:

• One that started with multi-lobed leaves.
• One with a deep purple stem and monster spikes - including spikes around the leaf margin!
• A runt. Small yellow leaves and slow growth.

Unfortunatly, the quadfoliate that I identified earlier reverted.

Do you have close-ups of the differences in variation, or do you have a moment to take some?

 

[nagmay]

Do you have close-ups of the differences in variation, or do you have a moment to take some?

I'll try to catalog the differences in more detail after I get the chance to pot them up. However, I did take a picture of the runt this morning.

On the left is a typical leaf from another seedling. On the right is what all the leaves look like on this cross. Sure looks like chlorosis to me, but the seedling is in the same soil as the rest. I won't count it out yet. Sometimes runts can become something special.

 

[DarkCoder]

I'll try to catalog the differences in more detail after I get the chance to pot them up. However, I did take a picture of the runt this morning.

On the left is a typical leaf from another seedling. On the right is what all the leaves look like on this cross. Sure looks like chlorosis to me, but the seedling is in the same soil as the rest. I won't count it out yet. Sometimes runts can become something special.

It (almost) look like the leafs of the decorative Aureus hop...

 

[DarkCoder]

I am curious to see if the yellowish color will be an asset to that plant...

http://vric.ucdavis.edu/pdf/Pests/pests_Yellowtrap.pdf

 

[nagmay]

"I am curious to see if the yellowish color will be an asset to that plant..."

Yeah... probably not. Along with increasing the attraction of pests, the stunted growth likely indicates trouble producing chlorophyll. Then again, maybe it just craves something not found in my blocking recipe. Perhaps it will thrive once outdoors...

I suspect that a commercial breeder would ax the plant. One of the most exciting things about this new renaissance in home breeding is that we can explore the more interesting genetics.

 

[PapaBearJay]

I'll try to catalog the differences in more detail after I get the chance to pot them up. However, I did take a picture of the runt this morning.

On the left is a typical leaf from another seedling. On the right is what all the leaves look like on this cross. Sure looks like chlorosis to me, but the seedling is in the same soil as the rest. I won't count it out yet. Sometimes runts can become something special.

pH levels?

 

[DarkCoder]

Nagmay, after how many nodes your quadrifoliate revert to bifoliate ? I have 3 very young seedling from the same seeds lot that looks like trifoliate...one of them have 2 nodes of "true leaves" and the two other plants have only one node of "true leaves". The leaves are not of a regular shape, so before getting too excited, I am gonna wait that the leaves looks like "adult leaves".

The cotyledon node on all 3 plants is bifoliate.

 

[nagmay]

DC,
She started with 4 cotyledon and followed with 2 sets of true leaves in that pattern. At that point, she split into 2 bines, each which were bifoliate.

I'll cross my fingers for your "trips".

 

[nagmay]

Quick update. The original seedlings are doing really well, but are also way too big for the indoor setup. They need to be moved ASAP.

 

[nagmay]

There are also a bunch of new seeds germinating. However, the leaves on these open pollinated ones look a little odd. I wonder if the soil PH is off?

 

[DarkCoder]

There are also a bunch of new seeds germinating. However, the leaves on these open pollinated ones look a little odd. I wonder if the soil PH is off?

Solanum lycopersicum & Capsicum ??

 

[DarkCoder]

DC,
She started with 4 cotyledon and followed with 2 sets of true leaves in that pattern. At that point, she split into 2 bines, each which were bifoliate.

I'll cross my fingers for your "trips".

Here is a picture of one of my potential trifoliate... all the 3 leaves are on the same level on the node. It does not look like 2 nodes growing close together.

 

[PapaBearJay]

That is trifoliate. Now just make sure it doesn't revert....

 

[DarkCoder]

That is trifoliate. Now just make sure it doesn't revert....

Hahahaha !!!


How am I suppose to do that ? I know, I will cut any growing above that node so it will stay forever a trifoliate.

My other trifoliate seedling is older... there is another node that will come out in the next days and if that node is still a trifoliate, it will be the third trifoliate node on that plant.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Hahahaha !!!


How am I suppose to do that ? I know, I will cut any growing above that node so it will stay forever a trifoliate.

My other trifoliate seedling is older... there is another node that will come out in the next days and if that node is still a trifoliate, it will be the third trifoliate node on that plant.

It could be one of three things in my mind. A) Damage occurred to the growing tip (unexpectedly, of course!) and this promoted a third growing tip from that nodal region, B) a mutation during developmental gene expression, either through up- or down-regulation of gene specific to leaf development, or C) a complete fluke.