So...You Want to Breed Your Own Hops.

[Blue-Frog]

Place the harvested flower stems on tinfoil/wax paper out of direct sunlight. Place them so they'll shed onto it. I would wait until the flowers have already opened, as otherwise they may just shrivel before they open. If they've begun to shed then collect immediately.

Storing....fridge? They're still respiring, so you'll want to limit the amount they do. Keep it wrapped-up like a note you received from the cute girl in class with a paper clip or envelope. Or if you have vials, etc.. be creative!

Do you have any data yet on the ideal stage of burr development for fertilization?
I haven't been able to keep good notes yet, but going by "instinct"
somewhere between pinky-nail and thumb-nail size looks best to me...
Before that seems kind of early and after that they rapidly Kafkasize into cones....

 

[PapaBearJay]

Do you have any data yet on the ideal stage of burr development for fertilization?

I haven't been able to keep good notes yet, but going by "instinct"

somewhere between pinky-nail and thumb-nail size looks best to me...

Before that seems kind of early and after that they rapidly Kafkasize into cones....

Though time consuming, it might be easiest for home-growers to re-pollinate at certain intervals....


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[DarkCoder]

Sure, we should swap pollen. Any tips on collecting and keeping it fresh?

Wayyyyy technical, but the following study shows that keeping pollen in a close jar in the fridge (up to 1 year) is a good solution for keeping pollen for fertilization.

PhD study on pollen


Edit: ** NOTE ** In the study, a 200-mesh screen (around 74 microns) was used to separate pollen from other unwanted particules. Not sure if it's easy for everyone to find that kind of filter... but some inexpensive cone paint strainer are filtering particules 125 microns and up, that is something like a 120-mesh screen.

 

[nagmay]

Collected pollen. I brown bagged the male flowers shortly before they opened - not optimal for collection, but I'm trying to be a good neighbor. Later, I shook the flowers using a sieve:

 

[nagmay]

Also took the time to pollinate some of the burrs around the yard.

 

[nagmay]

... but am I on your list? (

I don't think that you are. PM me your email address. Are you in the US?

 

[PapaBearJay]

Wayyyyy technical, but the following study shows that keeping pollen in a close jar in the fridge (up to 1 year) is a good solution for keeping pollen for fertilization.

PhD study on pollen


Edit: ** NOTE ** In the study, a 200-mesh screen (around 74 microns) was used to separate pollen from other unwanted particules. Not sure if it's easy for everyone to find that kind of filter... but some inexpensive cone paint strainer are filtering particules 125 microns and up, that is something like a 120-mesh screen.

Any idea about fine cheese-cloth?

 

[alane1]

This is what I was thinking for pollen capture. I'm also going to place a protective bag over the burrs to insure that the females only get pollinated by the males of my choosing. My only concern is that the bags might tear if they get wet, but I don't plan on having them there that long.

 

[PapaBearJay]

This is what I was thinking for pollen capture. I'm also going to place a protective bag over the burrs to insure that the females only get pollinated by the males of my choosing. My only concern is that the bags might tear if they get wet, but I don't plan on having them there that long.

Did you get your package?

 

[PapaBearJay]

Is everyone keeping track of their crosses this year? If so, can you all post them here? If they're successful, is everyone up for trading seed?

 

[alane1]

Did you get your package?

I've been stalking the mailbox, but not yet.

 

[PapaBearJay]

I've been stalking the mailbox, but not yet.

How many seedlings do you have left currently?

 

[alane1]

Is everyone keeping track of their crosses this year? If so, can you all post them here? If they're successful, is everyone up for trading seed?

I'd be interested in a seed exchange, I'd also like to do a hop exchange at some point so we can start a sensory panel.

 

[alane1]

How many seedlings do you have left currently?

About 40 but only 10 or so are thriving.

 

[PapaBearJay]

I'd be interested in a seed exchange, I'd also like to do a hop exchange at some point so we can start a sensory panel.

One characteristic I am interested in is "fitness".

WikiPedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fitness_(biology)

or

.edu: http://www.radford.edu/~rsheehy/GraphingDemo/fitness1.html

This said, I don't know how many flowers each of us plans on pollinating or how many seeds we can get based on differences in pollination protocols. That said, would it be wise to base our sharing on a percentage basis?

We communicate which crosses were made throughout the season, then have a rank-and-file system, which we order our top 5 (for example) and then distribute a percentage of seed based on the number of people requesting the same lots?

If only one person ranks it at #1, maybe they get 15-25% of the seed lot. If more people rank it in there list, it then gets further subdivided amongst the group. (If two rank it #1, then maybe each party gets 12.5%, etc. If one ranks it #1 and another ranks it #2, then #1 gets 15% and #2 gets 10%.)

This is just a suggestion, but I'd like input as well. We can always just have it be by decision of the breeder, but I'm trying to make this as unbiased as possible.

We're all subject to making our own breeding decisions and having our own criteria, but it allows for knowledge and material to be exchanged.

 

[PapaBearJay]

About 40 but only 10 or so are thriving.

Much like you alane1, I have one that is extremely short. Less than 3-4' tall, but I won't make any considerations about it being dwarf until next year when it has a full season in its current spot.

 

[alane1]

Just got the package, thank you. I'll be sending one your way.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Just got the package, thank you. I'll be sending one your way.

Excellent, look forward to it!


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[DarkCoder]

Any idea about fine cheese-cloth?

I found a site indicating that their "fine cheesecloth" have 30 threads per inch...so probably able to filter particules of 595 microns and up.

See that mesh/microns chart.

The study says that on their first attempt to store pollen, they took a 100-mesh screen, which failed to separate pollen and resin gland and that the mixture become clumpy after a certain period of time. Then, they tried with a 200-mesh screen, which did the job.

 

[DarkCoder]

Is everyone keeping track of their crosses this year? If so, can you all post them here? If they're successful, is everyone up for trading seed?

Yes, I will keep track and yes, If I have a lot of seeds, I am up for trading. Based on the germination rate, I am afraid to give away to many seeds and end up with no new seedling next year. So far, I have 2 females flowering with 6 to 8 nodes with a few burrs each. And 1 male that has not open flowers yet.

 

[brewerelated]

Yep. Those flowers are now in a bag dropping pollen (hopefully). If it goes well, I should be able to offer it to those on my list soon. You all still have plants in the burr stage, correct?

I have a female Neo1 and Chinook in burr stage. My Cascades and Columbus have already formed cones and will probably be ready for harvest soon.

 

[PapaBearJay]

Yes, I will keep track and yes, If I have a lot of seeds, I am up for trading. Based on the germination rate, I am afraid to give away to many seeds and end up with no new seedling next year. So far, I have 2 females flowering with 6 to 8 nodes with a few burrs each. And 1 male that has not open flowers yet.

DC, that in part was why I suggested a percentage-based ranking system. That way only a maximum portion is given out and that gives some flexibility to the breeder yet.

I realize that until we establish a large population this is a limited set of individuals, but we should at least develop framework for what we hope to accomplish, right?


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[PapaBearJay]

I have a female Neo1 and Chinook in burr stage. My Cascades and Columbus have already formed cones and will probably be ready for harvest soon.

Were you able to pollinate anything this year?


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[alane1]

Has anyone started culling yet?

 

[DarkCoder]

Has anyone started culling yet?

Nope, I will let all my plants go through Winter first. I have 3 weak plants, but will let them a chance to live.

 

[alane1]

Nope, I will let all my plants go through Winter first. I have 3 weak plants, but will let them a chance to live.

Very true, and as the Starks say...Winter is coming!!!

 

[nagmay]

Has anyone started culling yet?

I have been pulling all the males from the main yard and placing them in pots away from the ladies. This has freed up space to plant a few more seedlings.

Many of the first years are covered in burrs, but there is one that is already developing a ton of small, lupulin-heavy cones. They already smell, really, really good!

 

[PapaBearJay]

An update of the "hopyard". All of the named varieties have initiated flowering, and pollinations have started. So far only Magnum has been pollinated, but there will be more to follow in the coming week.



No selections have occurred yet and all but three plants have reached the top which is ~10' in height (due to monetary and labor restrictions). None of these plants have begun flowering (which may be due to the late planting...).

 

[PapaBearJay]

So we've all been interested in finding plants and/or seeds. While plants provide obvious growth and potential pollen/eggs sources for our breeding efforts, I like the idea of starting from seed.

I think the largest issue of growing from seed seems to be the acclimation process, or at least for me it has been. I have lost a fair amount of my seedling population because of it. I do have a handful of first-year plants that I am interested in, specifically some that came from a couple of the seed lots pictured here below.

I haven't posted any pictures of those yet, but will update in the coming days.

I am working on creating a genetic seed stock that will hopefully carry a lot of diversity in it. One of these is a recent acquisition and I will be attempting to confirm its viability in the coming months with my own pollinated seeds. If it comes back successful I plan on placing a large order.




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[PapaBearJay]

What a crossing label might look like for those interested.

This morning I walked away with 36 more pollination attempts.

While I would like to make numerous different crosses this year, I think for the benefit of still being able to harvest something out of my yard, I will only be making a relatively small number.

My plan at least is to use 3-4 females crossed with as many males as possible. This will allow for calculations of paternal influence on heritability of traits, as multiple families will be derived from the same maternal background.

Plus several of you have already made crosses with some of the same varieties that I have, so I will attempt my other cultivars. Next year I plan on reversing which ones I cross with.

EDIT:

I also plan on adding accessible texts to our Dropbox so everyone may read and get ideas. If you have a paper you'd like to add, feel free to send it to me and I'll add it in. I will also include plant breeding texts as I come across them.