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Old February 10, 2012   #19
TheLoud
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Decatur, GA, zone 7
Posts: 28
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Quote:
Originally Posted by doublehelix View Post
Cross-species hybridization is at best very difficult. Some of these could be impossible. It would be like trying to breed a dog to a cat.
I just wanted to clarify this general point about interspecific hybrids, although I don't have any information about these species in particular. It's true that reproductive isolation defines species. However, that barrier to crossing can take many different forms. There can be a geographic barrier between two populations that prevents any pollen from getting from one population to the other. The two populations can live in different habitats, or bloom at different times, or be pollinated by different vectors. All of these barriers to hybridization are very easy to overcome by a hobbyist.

There are other barriers that are harder to overcome, that require the massive effort and fancy equipment mentioned above. The barrier between species might be that fruit don't set, or abort early, or seeds don't sprout, or seedlings are weak and die young, or hybrids are vigorous but sterile, like mules. Try the crosses in both directions, because sometimes one works better than the other.
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