2012 Sweet Pepper work - Islander dehybridization, the next chapter

[Linda10]

Jan 11, 2012: Started 3 plants each of the following peppers:
F6 from Candy Corn F5 09-32, my plant #2,
F6 from Fire Opal F5 10-50, my plant #3,
F6 from Royal Purple F5 10-47, my plant #3
F6 from Amethyst 09-28, my plant #2

May 29, 2012: Pictures today of the above in same order. Craig, could you give these the proper vial numbers?
Candy corn from Linda's 2011 09-32 plant 2.jpg Fire Opal from Linda's 2011 10-50 plant 3.jpg Royal Purple from Linda's 2011 10-47plant 3.jpg Amethyst from Linda's 2011 09-28 plant 2.jpg


Sept 17, 2012: pictures of above in same order.

Candy Corn: Pale green>light green>deep yellow (gold) with bright yellow interior. Sweet, thick, juicy, but NOT Candy Corn.

Fire Opal: Pale yellow-green>yellow>deep yellow (gold) with bright yellow interior. Sweet, thick and juicy.

Royal Purple: Medium green with purple streaks from bottom turning quickly to deep purple>red

Amethyst: Pale green top with purple streaks from bottom>slow to turn to lavender>red. Thick walled and sweet.

[botanophilia]

Glad to see this posting, as I had thought about doing this exact thing but haven't had the time or space to do it. Islander is one of my favorite and most productive bells. The variegated Amethyst is a neat development as well. I wouldn't mind giving Amethyst and Fire Opal or White Gold a try at some point.

[Linda10]

Jan 27, 2012: Started 3 seeds each of the following peppers:

F6 from White Gold 11-2
F6 from Fire Opal 11-7
F6 from Royal Purple 11-6
F6 from Amethyst (variegated) 11-28
F6 from Chocolate Bell 11-14

The first 4 peppers above originated with Islander, an F1 hybrid from Johnny's. The hybrid was grown out and F2 seed saved as 06-3.

The last pepper was from Stokes hybrid Chocolate Bell. The hybrid was grown out and F2 seed saved as 07-18.


May 29, 2012: pictures of the above in same order
White Gold 11-2.jpgFire Opal 11-7.jpgRoyal Purple 11-6.jpgAmethyst 11-28.jpgChocolate Bell 11-14.jpg


Sep 17, 2012: pictures of the above in same order
White Gold 11-2 (8-14-12).jpgFire Opal 11-7 (8-14-12).jpgRoyal Purple 11-6 (8-14-12).jpgAmethyst vial 11-28 (8-14-12).jpgChocolate Bell 11-14 (8-14-12).jpg


White Gold 11-2: pale creamy yellow>yellow>deep yellow (gold) elongated bell with bright yellow interior

Fire Opal 11-7: 2 plants in one container: #1 was light yellow>deep lavender>red, these had an off-taste and very few seeds. Plant #2 was light yellow>deep yellow-orange and very sweet

Royal Purple 11-6: pale green>pale green with purple streaks from bottom quickly turning to a solid deep purple>red

Amethyst 11-28: pale yellow>yellow with lavender streaks>lavender>red. Small red thin-walled and not very sweet. No variegation seen.

Chocolate Bell 11-14: medium green>medium chocolate> chocolate with reddish cast. Pretty good flavor.

[nctomatoman]

I have, somewhere on a pad, the generation numbers for these and will edit your post when I find them (under my ever growing piles of stuff!)

edited -OK, done!

Here is the full genealogy:

White Gold - 364 saved as 06-3, selected and saved as 07-29, selected and saved as 08-30, selected and saved as 09-36, selected and saved as 11-2. Goal - cream colored blocky to slightly elongated bell ripening to yellow.

Fire Opal - 364 to 07-25 to 08-28 to 10-50 to 11-7. Goal - cream to very pale yellow green blocky bell ripening through deep lavender, ending at deep yellow.

Royal Purple - 364 to 07-19 to 08-18 to 10-47 to 11-6. Goal - pale yellow green blocky bell ripening through deep purple, ending up at red. This is similar to the OP Purple Beauty in color changes.

Amethyst - 364 to 07-16 to 08-14 to 09-28 to 11-28. Goal - cream colored blocky fruit ripening through medium lavender, ending up as red. This is most like the Islander hybrid.

Chocolate Bell - 230 to 07-18 to 08-7 to 09-49 to 10-35 to 11-14. Goal - medium green blocky fruit ripening to deep chocolate brown.

[dinca]

February 5, 2012
Planted six seeds each of:
White Gold Vial 11.2
Royal Purple Vial 11.6
Fire Opal Vial 11.7
Chocolate Bell Vial 11.14
Amethyst (Variegated Leaf) Vial 11.28

If five-gallon pots are appropriate, I'll grow all that make it. If they need larger containers, then two of each.

February 18, 2012
Replanted four seeds each of:
White Gold V11.2
Royal Purple V11.6
Fire Opal V11.7
Chocolate Bell V11.14
Variegated Amethyst V11.28

February 22, 2012 - 17 days after planting
White Gold V11.2.......................One of six = 16 2/3%
Royal Purple V11.6.....................Zero of six = 0%
Fire Opal V11.7..........................One of six = 16 2/3%
Chocolate Bell V11.14.................Two of six = 33 1/3 %
Variegated Amethyst V11.28.......One of six = 16 2/3%

I planted thirty seeds, five have sprouted. One for six is a disappointing start.

February 23, 2012
In an act of desperation, I planted all remaining seeds today.

February 26, 2012 - 21 days after planting

White Gold V11.2.......................the single seedling was unable to shed its seed coat and died
Royal Purple V11.6.....................not a sprout among them
Fire Opal V11.7..........................one seedling sprouted, still looking good
Chocolate Bell V11.14.................one of the two seedlings was unable to shed its seed coat and died
Variegated Amethyst V11.28.......one seedling sprouted, best looking of the three remaining

I planted thirty seeds, three are still alive. This result is far different from that experienced with other OP and hybrid peppers sown at the same time. I will be awash with peppers, but, unless the followup sowing has better success, only three will be the trial peppers.

February 27, 2012
Replant results as of today:
White Gold V11.2.................... One seedling, variety total one seedling
Royal Purple V11.6.................. One seedling, variety total one seedling
Fire Opal V11.7........................ One seedling, variety total two seedlings
Chocolate Bell V11.14.............. One seedling, variety total two seedlings
Variegated Amethyst V11.28... Two seedlings, variety total three seedlings

February 28, 2012
Transplanted the three survivors mentioned on February 26 (one each of Fire Opal V11.7; Chocolate Bell V11.14 and Variegated Amethyst V11.28) into 3 inch pots.

February 29, 2012
Replant results as of today:
White Gold V11.2.................... One seedling, variety total one seedling
Royal Purple V11.6.................. Three seedlings, variety total three seedlings
Fire Opal V11.7........................ One seedling, variety total two seedlings
Chocolate Bell V11.14.............. Two seedlings, variety total three seedlings
Variegated Amethyst V11.28... Two seedlings, variety total three seedlings

Let's go White Gold! I need at least two to compare.

March 1, 2012
Craig to the rescue with reinforcements (more seeds).
Planted four seeds each of:
White Gold Vial 11.2
Royal Purple Vial 11.6
Fire Opal Vial 11.7
Chocolate Bell Vial 11.14

March 2, 2012
Transplanted one seedling of each into 3 inch pots:
Fire Opal Vial 11.7
Chocolate Bell Vial 11.14
Variegated Amethyst V11.28

March 3, 2012

Another White Gold Vial 11.2 popped up today, now I can compare.

March 4, 2012
Transplanted the following into 3 inch pots:
Three Royal Purple Vial 11.6
Two Fire Opal Vial 11.7
One Chocolate Bell Vial 11.14
Two Variegated Amethyst V11.28

The potted count stands at:
No White Gold V11.2
Three Royal Purple V11.6
Three Fire Opal V11.7
Two Chocolate Bell V11.14
Three Variegated Amethyst V11.28

March 6, 2012
Patience wins out! Three of the original six seeds of Royal Purple planted on February 5 popped up today. Germination for that bunch was 50% but followed the germination of seeds planted on February 23 by two weeks!

March 8, 2012
Make that four.

March 17, 2012
Right now the pepper population stands at:
Two White Gold V11.2
Eight Royal Purple V11.6
Three Fire Opal V11.7
Three Chocolate Bell V11.14
Three Variegated Amethyst V11.28
Why so many Royal Purples? When I declare a planting a dud, I replant seeds of the same variety in the barren Jiffy pellets. I judged sprouting time based on that of the other varieties, but Royal Purple is very slow to germinate, so I find new sprouts coming up in the previously transplanted root balls. That's why Royal Purple is over-represented. All are in individual pots - at least for now.

March 27, 2012
It's a good thing Royal Purple is over-represented because it seems to suffer more than any other pepper, tomato or eggplant variety that I've planted from "Helmetosis" - the condition where the emerging cotyledons, or even the first true leaves, are unable to shed the seed coat and they eventually shrivel and die.

April 10, 2012
All peppers remain in 3 inch pots. Variegated Amethyst V11.28 is the largest of all, it has been outdoors in 3/4 sun for most of a month and it has several sets of true leaves BUT it shows no sign yet of variegated foliage.

April 25, 2012
Today I transplanted into their final containers;

On March 17, the population was:
Three Variegated Amethyst V11.28,
Two White Gold V11.2,
Three Fire Opal V11.7,
Three Chocolate Bell V11.14 and
Eight Royal Purple V11.6.

The losses were one Chocolate Bell and four Royal Purple. Two of the four Royal Purple losses were from damage done when the seed coats were removed. As mentioned, my Royal Purple suffers from the inability to shed the seed coat. The other two Royal Purple and the single Chocolate Bell loss were due to a failure to thrive. In general, my Royal Purple have been more of a pain to grow than novices would likely care to undergo. All have very weak root systems.

May 8, 2012
None of the three Variegated Amethyst (V11.28) have shown any signs of variegated leaf coloration.

May 27, 2012
Ok, it is 31 days after transplanting into final containers (5 to 7 gallons). The preliminaries are over, it's time for the main event. Today, I returned from a week vacation. I checked the peppers and here is what I found:

Variegated Amethyst V11.28 - none showing any variegation.
Plant #1 One 1.5 inch yellow fruit blushing lavender/purple.
Plant #2 One .75 inch yellow fruit.
Plant #3 Just forming buds.

White Gold V11.2.
Plant #1 One .5 inch yellow fruit.
Plant #2 One bud.

Fire Opal V11.7.
Plant #1 Buds just opening.
Plant #2 Buds.
Plant #3 Buds just forming.

Chocolate Bell V11.14.
Plant #1 One dark green button.
Plant #2 One dark green button.

Royal Purple V11.6.
Plant #1 Buds about to open.
Plant #2 Blotchy foliage (disease???/variegation???), about 2/3 size of Plant #1, buds just forming.
Plant #3 About half of each stem is markedly purple, buds just forming.
Plant #4 No buds.

June 2, 2012
38 days after transplanting into final containers (5 to 7 gallons).

Variegated Amethyst V11.28 - none showing any variegation.
Plant #1 One 2.75 inch almost totally purple fruit, one yellow button.
Plant #2 One 2.0 inch yellow fruit - purpling, one 1.75 inch yellow fruit and two yellow buttons.
Plant #3 One yellow button.

White Gold V11.2.
Plant #1 One 1.5 inch yellow fruit.
Plant #2 One flower.

Three Fire Opal V11.7.
Plant #1 Two chartreuse buttons.
Plant #2 One flower.
Plant #3 Buds.

Chocolate Bell V11.14. Dark green foliage.
Plant #1 One 1.5 inch dark green fruit and one dark green button.
Plant #2 One 1.0 inch dark green fruit and three dark green buttons.

Royal Purple V11.6. Plants less uniform in size, color, flowers than other varieties.
Plant #1 Flowers.
Plant #2 Blotchy foliage (variegation), buds.
Plant #3 About half of each stem is markedly purple, white petals with purple margins - a hot-pepper cross?).
Plant #4 Buds.

June 10, 2012 46 days after transplanting into final containers (5 to 7 gallons).

Three Variegated Amethyst V11.28 - none showing any variegation.
Plant #1 One 3.5 inch dark purple fruit twice as long as wide with thickening walls, one 0.5 inch yellow fruit blushing purple.
Plant #2 Three lollipop purple fruit, 1.0 - 2.0 inches; three yellow buttons.
Plant #3 One yellow button aborted, flowers no fruit.

Two White Gold V11.2.
Plant #1 One 2.5 inch yellow fruit, very blocky, about as wide as long, has some brown marks which are splits along the rib.
Plant #2 One yellow button.

Three Fire Opal V11.7.
Plant #1 Four button to 1.75 inch chartreuse fruit.
Plant #2 Flowers, no fruit.
Plant #3 Flowers, no fruit.

Two Chocolate Bell V11.14. Dark green foliage.
Plant #1 One 2.5 inch dark green fruit and six green button to 1.25 inch fruit.
Plant #2 One 2.0 inch and three 1.0 - 1.25 inch dark green fruit.

Four Royal Purple V11.6. Plants are less uniform in size, color and flowers than the other varieties
Plant #1 One 0.5 inch chartreuse fruit.
Plant #2 Blotchy foliage (variegation), newer leaves are less variegated, a few buds, no flowers or fruit, not a robust plant.
Plant #3 About half of each stem is markedly purple, flowers have white petals with purple margins, 0.625 inch yellow cone shaped fruit quickly purpling.
Plant #4 A few buds, also not a very robust plant.

June 16, 2012 52 days after transplanting into final containers (5 to 7 gallons).

Amethyst Vial 11.28
#1 One 4 inch and one 2.25 inch dark purple fruits.
#2 Two 2.5 inch and one 1.25 inch purple fruits and five yellow buttons.
#3 One 1 inch yellow fruit and four yelow buttons.

White Gold V11.2
#1 One 3 inch yellow fruit and 1 yellow button.
#2 One 1.25 and two 0.625 inch yellow fruits.

Chocolate Bell V11.14
#1 Six 1.25 to 1.5 inch dark green fruits.
#2 Four 1.5 to 3.0 inch dark green fruits.

Fire Opal V11.7
#1 Eight 0.75 to 2.75 inch yellow fruits, two blushing purple.
#2 One 0.75 inch yellow fruit.
#3 Two yellow buttons.

Royal Purple V11.6
#1 One 2.25 inch yellow fruit turning purple.
#2 Variegated, a few buds, no fruit.
#3 Three 1.0 to 2.0 inch dark purple fruits and three chartreuse buttons. All held upright and all long thin cones.
#4 One chartreuse button.

Apparently there is a limit to the number of characters that can be edited into a post. The next report will be in a new post.

[nctomatoman]

Linda10 and dinca, I'd love to know germination percentages on what I sent you....since saving pepper seed (esp. sweet peppers) seems to be pretty consistently unpredictable!

I will be starting some in a week or so. thanks!

[Linda10]

As requested, Craig, here are my results on the ones you sent this year. Started 3 seeds each of the following peppers Jan 27, 2012:

F6 White Gold 11-2 ------- 2 of 3 germinated so far
F6 Fire Opal 11-7 ---------- 3 of 3 germinated
F6 Royal Purple 11-6 -- ----3 of 3 germinated
F6 Amethyst (variegated) 11-28 - 3 of 3 germinated
F6 Chocolate Bell 11-14-----3 of 3 germinated

The following are from my own saved seed from last year, no vial # yet. Started 3 plants each of the following peppers Jan 11, 2012:

F6 from Candy Corn F5 09-32, my plant #2: 6 of 6 germinated planted two times because 1st set weren't coming up at the time the others did. By the time the 2nd set germinated, the 1st set had too.
F6 from Fire Opal F5 10-50, my plant #3: 3 of 3 germinated
F6 from Royal Purple F5 10-47, my plant #3 3 of 3 germinated
F6 from Amethyst 09-28, my plant #2 2 of 3 germinated

[nctomatoman]

Wow - nice job! I am excited to find sweet pepper seeds germinating well...of all the seeds I save, they tend to be the iffiest!

Can't wait to see what you get! And I am very interested to see if any of the Amethyst show the variegation (it took a few sets of true leaves to form and some time in the sun for it to show last year)

[Linda10]

Updated #31 and #33 with pictures from today.

[nctomatoman]

Since I've now decided what to plant for this continuing project, here is the list:

White Gold - vials 11-2, 11-20 (3 plants)

Royal Purple - 11-6, 11-24, 11-26 (4 plants), 11-29

Amethyst - 11-10, 11-28 (2 plants)

Candy Corn - 11-9 (2 plants)

Fire Opal - 11-7, 11-27

Total of 18 plants for this project for this year. I will do all updates in this post

[dinca]

Continued from Post #35:

June 27, 2012 63 days after transplanting into final containers (5 to 7 gallons).

Amethyst V11.28 (Parent was variegated, but none of these are)
#1 One 4.0 inch and one 2.5 inch dark purple fruits, 4 lobes.
#2 Seven 1.5 to 2.5 inch yellow-purple to purple fruits, 3 - 4 lobes.
#3 Five 1.5 to 2.5 inch purple fruits and two button to 1 inch yellow fruit, mostly 4 lobes, largest one has three lobes.

Chocolate Bell V11.14 (These two plants are beautiful and fruitful. I like the look.)
#1 Eight button to 3.0 inch dark green blocky fruits, 3 - 4 lobes. Very crowded fruit distorting each other.
#2 Four 2.0 to 3.0 inch dark green blocky fruits, 4 lobes. Very crowded fruit distorting each other.

Fire Opal V11.7
#1 Eight 1.5 to 3.5 inch long bells, chartreuse to lavender some with vertical stripes, 4 lobes.
#2 Three 0.5 to 3.0 inch long bells, chartreuse to dark lavender, 4 lobes.
#3 Heavily damaged by a now-dead Tobacco Hornworm. Six 0.625 to 2.0 inch chartreuse fruit blushing to lavender, 4 lobes.

Royal Purple V11.6 (This is a rather disappointing family starting with germination and continuing into fruiting.)
#1 One 4.0 inch dark purple flattened bell with 3 lobes. Disappointing yield.
#2 Variegated, a few buds, no fruit. This plant appears to be unlikely to produce fruit.
#3 Many, many 1.0 to 2.0 inch dark purple - almost black - long thin cone shaped fruits held upright. HOT!!!
#4 Four 0.75 to 2 inch chartreuse fruit very slowly turning purple. This is likely the best of the Royal Purple bunch in my garden, but that's not saying a lot.

White Gold V11.2
#1 Six 0.75 to 3.0 inch yellow blocky fruits, mostly 4 lobes, largest one has three lobes.
#2 Three 2.0 inch yellow blocky fruits, 4 lobes.


September 13, 2012 141 days after transplanting into final containers (5 to 7 gallons).

Amethyst V11.28
#1: Elongated bell, starts yellow, turns a deep purple, which turns first to red and then to mahogany.
#2: Elongated bell, starts yellow, turns a lollipop purple within a week, matures a muddy red.
#3: Elongated, somewhat pointed bell, starts yellow, turns a nice purple within 10 days, matures a pretty red.

Chocolate Bell V11.14
#1: A pointed bell, starts green and stays that way for six weeks, then turns reddish brown and, if left on the plant, eventually turns red.
#2: Very similar to #1, except more blocky.

Fire Opal V11.7
#1: Blocky bell, born yellow, slowly turning to a light purple finishing at gold. It is likely to hold some purple when mature.
#2: Slightly elongated bell, born yellow, turning quickly to a deeper purple than #1 ending up at gold. It will probably retain some purple in maturity.
#3: Slightly elongated, somewhat pointed bell, born yellow, slowly obtaining a lavender wash that does not cover the entire fruit. It will still have a lot of lavender at maturity.

Royal Purple V11.6 Things have gotten interesting with this quirky and surprising family!
#1: Elongated to blocky bell, starts chartreuse, gaining a purple wash that turns dark purple. The purple fades to gold and the fruit matures at a striking red. Very decorative color changes.
#2. The plant has variegated foliage. It is slow to flower, fruit and color. A smaller pointed bell that starts yellow-green, becoming green, then purple and maturing at a really deep red-purple, which carries through to the interior.
#3: This plant was different from the start and it still is. The flowers were white with purple margins - a bad sign for a sweet pepper. The growth was taller than the others, the distance between branches was a bit greater and the leaves were thinner. All marks of a hot pepper. And it is a hot one. I just can't take hot peppers so I can't give you a personal reading of the heat, but another gardener who likes hots says it is less hot than a habanero. Well, that's a relief (I guess). They begin as yellow, cone shaped fruit that retain that color for more than a month. They then go to dark purple and finish as a brick red that is almost black on the side exposed to the sun.
#4: Similar to #1, except that it doesn't have a gold stage and it is a blocky bell.

White Gold V11.2
#1: Blocky bell born yellow, soon paling to near white, then regaining its yellow color and ending at a slightly deeper yellow.
#2: Could have been a clone of #1.

[dinca]

See the post above.

[Linda10]

Added final report to posts #31 and #33. Seeds to be sent to Craig this week.