What is the chance of a cross in beans from Seed Savers Exchange?

[lakelady]

Early this year, I ordered True Red Cranberry Beans from the SSE online website. I got a packet of 50 beans, all identical seed. I planted them. Some I pre-seeded in flats and some direct seed in the ground. I didn't notice any difference in yield or dtm. However, one vine is different than the others. It is yielding a striped type pod, not solid green/yellow when dry, and the beans inside are a navy blue-purple color. They look like kidney beans. I almost didn't notice it, because its hard to get to the back of the maypole where it is located.

Now I would have initially thought it was mixed seed, but all the seeds I planted were identical, all looked like cranberries, none were blue or purple. So I am thinking maybe it's a cross? I thought beans were hard to cross with other beans.

They are a really neat color though. I'll save them and grow them out again next year to see what I get.

By the way, the beans were pretty productive for me, even though later than my other beans. I would say they were equal to my romano beans, which was a nice surprise since many folks said it wasn't very productive for them.

[Worth1]

Beans might be hard to cross but not impossible.
Its a cross or a genetic anomaly for sure.

Worth

[rockhound]

Back years ago.....we used to pull out any vine or plant that didn't look like all the others, in an effort to have all the beans (or whatever) alike. We called it "rougue-ing". With open-pollinated seeds you still can get a cross once in a blue moon, or even a mutation, much more rare. Saving those odd plants is fun sometimes, if you have the room and keep records of what/when. I've found it can fill up a garden with oddities, so it just depends on how much time/effort you wanna put into it I guess.

[lakelady]

Well, I believe this is a very old variety of beans, so the idea that it wasn't stable didn't enter the equation at all as it is thought to have been grown by Indian tribes. A mutation is so very rare I believe, so that idea is pretty much out too. A chance cross is most likely. Wish I had enough to cook some up to taste though, as I want to save the seeds to regrow next year, and I only got 5 pods.

Will be an interesting grow for sure. Are there any deep purplish blue beans out there that anyone knows of?

[Tormato]

Antoniette,

I've found that deep purple or deep blue beans usually dry down (completely) to black in color. If the dark bean is a cross, a growout would likely produce two, or more, different types of beans.

And, as for chance of a cross, I've seen estimates of about 1 in 200 to 1 in 300 mentioned.

Gary

[lakelady]

Thanks Gary! I figured I'll grow these next year separate from anything else and see what pops up. What I do like is, they have more beans per pod than the Cranberry beans, which means if they are productive, more total beans hopefully for my pot! Will keep you all posted !

Do beans need to fully dry in the pod or can they be dried outside the pod as well? Many of the pods were not bone dry but splitting so I just took everything out of them and put them on a cookie sheet with sides to further dry.

[Tormato]

They probably do best drying inside the pods, but it is not necessary. Some years, I have to pick the pods when they aren't fully dry, such as when there are several days of rain predicted. Opening pods before they are fully dry sometimes produces beans with blemishes, for me.

You'll likely not see it, But I HAVE TO shell some of my beans before the pods are fully dry. One of my varieties has a tendency to germinate inside the pod. Early shelling is the only way I've found to stop or slow down the germinating.

Drying in a single layer on a pan, or even better on a screen, is the way to go. A cool, dry place with air circulation helps.

Gary