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Post by frogsleapfarm on Feb 14, 2010 21:00:59 GMT -5
Interesting point. Surely many of the modern lines have introgressed pest resistance traits from wild relatives, which I believe we should try to incorporate into "heirloom germplasm". It seems odd that the heirloom types show more phenotypic variation for plant type, fruit shape/color, flavor, etc. compared to commercial lines in general. I wonder if that's just the more narrowed selection focus employed by commercial breeders? I'm afraid that crosses to wild relatives to increase genetic variability for specific traits, or for variability per se, is beyond the scope of what most amateur breeders can manage - so perhaps the best we can do is an occasional cross to new and interesting commercial lines?
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landarc
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Post by landarc on Feb 14, 2010 23:53:59 GMT -5
Gads, you two are eggheads. The thing I would agree with is the idea there is more diversity in modern commercial lines of tomatoes. But, how much that diversity is maintained becomes an interesting concept. If you create and unstable cross at an F1 level, do you add diversity for the long term, or will that tomato F1 often work back to a certain level of genetic variation that is closer to landrace types. Also, how does this account for the new rage in genetics that suggest that in many cases, a variety or species already possesses the entire genetic code of it's fellow varities, it is the on/off switches that determine genetic traces. How does this affect the overall genetic diversity argument between commercial and landrace varieties?
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jcm05
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Post by jcm05 on Feb 15, 2010 7:27:32 GMT -5
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landarc
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Post by landarc on Feb 15, 2010 14:27:21 GMT -5
Okay, I should stop here, I am already more confused than before I asked. But, I am stupid.
The way I understand it, for instance, whales still have the genetic capability of developing legs, that is to say the 'leg growing' genes still exist in their DNA. But, a genetic variation has caused those genes to switch off. Now, I would think this extends to tomatoes as well, which is to say, for instance, that a cherry has the ability to taste like a beefsteak if the right genetic switch is thrown. Does this not hold true?
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