Is there a distributor of good *seeds*

[Delaney]

Hello,

In my professional life I work as a plant scientist, and I am interested in doing some research that requires hops seeds. Ideally I would like seeds that are either of a good variety, or that are a cross between two good varieties. Can anybody point me in the right direction for this?

Cheers,

Delaney.

 

[doogie]

You don't purchase seeds, you purchase rhizomes. Here's a link to one supplier. https://labelpeelers.com/rhizomes-1/

 

[Delaney]

You don't purchase seeds, you purchase rhizomes. Here's a link to one supplier. https://labelpeelers.com/rhizomes-1/

Hey there, thanks for the response.

I am aware that propagation of hops for production of hops is done via rhizomes. As stated in my original post, I am looking for seeds to conduct scientific experiments. If you really need to know, I plan to produce protoplasts from embryo-derived suspension cell cultures since cultures derived from clonally propagated cultures such as rhizomes will have less plasticity. My end goal is to protoplast said cell cultures, regenerate callus cultures from the protoplasts, and ultimately conduct embryogenesis experiments (hence why I want as much plasticity as possible). If that is not clear to you, just take me word for it that I do in fact want seeds.

I have only been able to find wild hops in seed form online. Is there anybody that distributes seeds that are derived from crosses to cultivated varieties. Again, I understand that these seeds will not be true to type... I am a plant scientist and I understand all of this very well.

 

[doogie]

I'm not a plant scientist. I've never heard of hop seeds, and assumed that the cultivated hops were modified to be seedless and thus needed to be propagated by rhizomes. If that is true (I may be way off) the wild variety would be your only choice.

 

[Delaney]

I'm not a plant scientist. I've never heard of hop seeds, and assumed that the cultivated hops were modified to be seedless and thus needed to be propagated by rhizomes. If that is true (I may be way off) the wild variety would be your only choice.

Hops can be male or female, and female plants are propagated clonally for two main reasons:
1- males are unwanted, and seeds will be 50% male
2- Seeds will be genetically diverse, meaning that each plant will be different. With clones each plant is genetically identical, so the end result is reproducible.

Commercial varieties are fertile, and will form seeds if pollinated - this is what I want.

Generally seeds are avoided by excluding males from the area where female hop vines are grown. So growers can cultivate a variety such as Cascade from hops, knowing that there will be no males to mess up the flowers that brewers want, and as well each plant will produce hops with pretty much the same characteristics that are associated with what you expect for that given variety (Cascade).

 

[doogie]

Thanks, I thought that was the case, but wasn't sure. (sounds like another plant that I sometimes enjoy).

 

[Northern_Brewer]

I have only been able to find wild hops in seed form online. Is there anybody that distributes seeds that are derived from crosses to cultivated varieties.

Your best bet is probably to buy seeds whilst they're still in the cones - in other words, just buy whole hops from a brewing supply store. However, most countries try very hard to eliminate male plants so they don't see much fertilisation - the exception is the UK, which has so many wild hop plants growing wild that a lot of British-grown hops have seeds in them. Of course, there's no guarantee, but it will mean that at least the mother is a "big name" variety.

So it depends a bit on what you're after - Fuggles and Goldings are the classic British varieties which have been extensively studied, although Goldings is strictly speaking a family of closely related clones which are generally sold mixed together but it is possible to get individual clones like Early Bird from the farm. (only one left at the time of writing!) In the UK you can get UK-grown Cascade (and Bushel of Hops has UK Chinook) which might be more familiar to North American audiences, another option might be to use one of the dwarf varieties like First Gold, which might prove more practical down the line.

 

[bucketnative]

Hello,

In my professional life I work as a plant scientist, and I am interested in doing some research that requires hops seeds. Ideally I would like seeds that are either of a good variety, or that are a cross between two good varieties. Can anybody point me in the right direction for this?

Cheers,

Delaney.

Have you tries reaching out to one of the established hops research programs like the one at Oregon State? They have an outreach program, and they may be interested in collaboration.

 

[B-Hoppy]

Have always been a huge fan of plasticity and really can't understand why it's never gained traction with the modern culture? Old school perhaps? Do you need to germinate them before you can use them? Just wondering as whatever you would be able to obtain now would most likely need to be chilled for a month or so depending on how they've been stored. Like was mentioned, you can contact USDA-ARS down in Corvallis to see what's available or depending on how many you need, I may be able to supply some towards the end of this coming season.

 

[DarkCoder]

I can probably help you with hops seeds.

Plus, I am just 1 hour away from your location...

 

[Apimyces]

A few of us here (and a few of us not here but also in the area) do some hop breeding. I already gave away all the seeds I wasn't stratifying for this year, though, but I'll certainly have quite a harvest this season.

 

[DarkCoder]

Did we frighten Delaney ?!?

1, 2, testing... any thread starter around ??

Have you found your seeds or would you like me to send you some ?

 

[Delaney]

Did we frighten Delaney ?!?

1, 2, testing... any thread starter around ??

Have you found your seeds or would you like me to send you some ?

Hey DarkCoder,

Apimyces was kind enough to send me a few seeds from his one cross, but I'd like to have more genotypes. sending you PM

 

[Apimyces]

Yea, sent most of my other spare seeds to another guy, and then some from the one cross that yielded me decent seed yields last year. I'm all out of sharing stock 'till Fall now.

If Spring would eventually decide to finally arrive, I'm getting eager to transfer those Brewer's Gold x OP and Saazer x OP outside.

Most of my sowing will only be done in two weeks, I really need to get this done earlier next years.

 

[Hayden80]

Check this out. I've never bought hop seeds from this company, but I have bought MANY other seeds in the past and have always been very satisfied.

https://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com/hops/

 

[Northern_Brewer]

That doesn't help the OP get "seeds that are either of a good variety, or that are a cross between two good varieties" as they appear to be of unspecified variety.

 

[Apimyces]

Transplanted my seedlings into 72 trays, from the 200s they were sown in. Germination in the different accessions range from 0% to 100%. Most are very low %s. At least a got a few wild pubescens, neomexicanus, lupuloides, and lupulus seedlings to play with now.