View Single Post
Old January 4, 2017   #34
Keen101
Tomatovillian™
 
Keen101's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Colorado
Posts: 134
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheLoud View Post
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.
I agree with this statement. I suspect many inter-specific hybrids are easier than some people believe. Joseph has an interesting population of squash that seems to fit this idea.

Though i want to mention that here in Colorado there is a farm that has a population of mules that are able to breed with each other and produce offspring. So just because most mismatched gene number crosses produce sterile offspring does not mean that they all do. If one is patient enough i suspect many of those crosses could be viable as well. It's more a matter of statistics rather than possibility.

Last edited by Keen101; January 4, 2017 at 02:47 AM.
Keen101 is offline   Reply With Quote