2012 Sweet Pepper work - Islander dehybridization, the next chapter

[nctomatoman]

Darrel and Linda10 are working on some of these as well - please feel free to post germination and other results in this thread.

I will fill in the generation of each below over time. Here are the attributes seeked for each of the new named selections:

Amethyst - pale cream bell changes quickly to lavender, then to orange, ending up as red.
Fire Opal - pale cream or pale chartreuse bell changes to lavender, then to gold, and stays there.
Royal Purple - pale green bell changes to dark purple, then ripens deep red
White Gold - cream or pale green bell slowly changes to golden yellow and stays there
Candy Corn - cream or pale green bell slowly goes to orange, then ripens at red.

Amethyst the the selection that looks most like the hybrid, Islander.

Here is what I've planted:
February 13 planting:

Amethyst selection 09-28 - germinated Feb 21 (8 days) - 25 seeds planted
Fire Opal selection 10-40 - germinated Feb 18 (5 days) - 25 seeds planted


March 3 planting:

Islander selection vial 415 (from Rutabagaboy) - one seedling March 10 (7 days) - 20 seeds planted
Islander selection 08-14 - good germination March 11 (8 days) - 25 seeds planted
Islander selection 08-19 - nothing yet - 25 seeds planted

March 7 planting:

Amethyst selection 08-27 - germinates March 14 (7 days) - 15 seeds planted
Royal Purple selection 09-30 - germinated March 14 (7 days) - 12 seeds planted
Royal Purple Selection 10-47 - germinated March 13 (6 days) - 10 seeds planted
Fire Opal selection 10-50 - germinated March 13 (6 days) - 15 seeds planted
White Gold selection 09-33 - germinated March 13 (6 days) - 10 seeds planted
White Gold selection 09-36 - germinated March 15 (8 days) - 10 seeds planted
Candy Corn selection 09-31 - germinated March 14 (7 days) - 10 seeds planted
Candy Corn selection 09-32 - germinated March 14 (7 days) - 10 seeds planted

[Linda10]

Craig, I copied these two posts from the older thread I had already reported in.

First post on Feb 4:
On Feb 3, 2011, planted 4 seeds of each type in 2" pots placed on heating mat at 85 degrees:

Amethyst 08-27 (F4)
Amethyst 09-28 (F5)
Royal Purple 10-47 (F5)
Fire Opal 10-50 (F5)
Fire Opal 10-40 (F5) or F6?...marked over so can't tell
White Gold 09-33 (F5)
White Gold 09-36 (F5)
Candy Corn 09-32 (F5)


Second post:
Will probably grow all that germinate this year and then only continue with one of them next year.

Germination results for sweet peppers:

Amethyst 08-27 (F4): 2 of 4 germinated in 8 days
Amethyst 09-28 (F5): 4 of 4 germinated in 6 days
Royal Purple 10-47 (F5): 4 of 4 germinated in 6 days
Fire Opal 10-50 (F5): 4 of 4 germinated in 6 days
Fire Opal 10-40 (F5) or F6: 4 of 4 germinated in 7 days
White Gold 09-33 (F5): 2 of 4 germinated in 6 days
White Gold 09-36 (F5): 1 of 4 germinated in 8 days
Candy Corn 09-32 (F5): 2 of 4 germinated in 6 days

Today: March 19, 2011
I plan to transplant into 1 gallon containers this next week. A few of the ones that germinated only have a growing stem with a very tight seed on top, no leaves. I also lost one to leaving outside too long while hardening off. What remains is listed below and I will plant all of these:

Amethyst 08-27 (F4): 2
Amethyst 09-28 (F5): 2
Royal Purple 10-47 (F5): 3 (but 2 are stunted)
Fire Opal 10-50 (F5): 3
Fire Opal 10-40 (F5) or F6: 4
White Gold 09-33 (F5): 2
White Gold 09-36 (F5): 1
Candy Corn 09-32 (F5): 2

[Wi-sunflower]

If you ever get something you need a grow-out for stability, in other words lots of plants, let me know. Not this year tho. too late for me and no greenhouse space with all the tomatoes I'm doing.

I used to grow Islander about 10 years ago. I liked the pepper but not it's seed price or terrible germination rate. Quite a few of your descriptions sound like they could be a hit.

I'm slowly getting back into peppers and hope to be looking for more in a few years. I'm just doing 1 bell and about 20 hots this year.

Carol

[puttgirl]

That Fire Opal really sounds nice!

[Linda10]

Candy Corn 09-32 (F5) - this is the first to flower (4/14/11) and the first to set fruit (4/21/11). Tiny fruit is pale yellow-green and looking to be slightly elongated with 4 ribs.

[nctomatoman]

One interesting thing to look for, Linda, is the amount of purple shading on the plant branches at the intersections - it varies selection to selection, but I've not sorted it out yet....

Also, glad you are noting the color of the tiny fruit - can vary from cream to very pale green to medium green.

I think you will have fun with these...and they tend to yield very well

[Linda10]

Craig, I am trying to record as much information as possible, and I do have a note to check out all stages of color of the fruit. I will check for different purple coloration at the branches tomorrow if I get the chance.

[nctomatoman]

Hey Linda - how are those sweet peppers coming along? I hope to get my plants in this week - two of each selection.

[Linda10]

Hey, Craig,

I just took a few pictures today because Amethyst 0928, plant #1 went from yellow to purple on the bottom overnight! I'll try to get a report together next week, but after that I'll be very busy with my husband's cancer treatments and my physical therapy.

[nctomatoman]

Hi, all - I've got my peppers planted - all in 5 gallon grow bags - 2 each of:

09-35 White Gold
09-36 White Gold
09-32 Candy Corn
09-31 Candy Corn
09-30 Royal Purple
10-47 Royal Purple
10-50 Fire Opal
415 Islander (sent to me by Doug F)
08-14 Islander (earlier selection - to see which line it belongs in)
09-28 Amethyst
08-27 Amethyst

One of my Amethyst plants appears to have variegated foliage....we shall see!

[Linda10]

Amethyst 08-27 (F4): 2 plants. #1 set fruit April 30, #2 set fruit May 6. Fruit from #1 started out deep green and blocky, #2 started out deep green and blocky and is starting to turn purple on the side away from the sun.

Amethyst 09-28 (F5): 2 plants. #1 set fruit April 27, #2 set fruit April 29. Fruit from plant 1 started out pale yellow and blocky bell shape, turning deep purple almost overnight. Plant 2 also started out pale yellow and blocky, and is starting to turn purple today (May 16)

Royal Purple 10-47 (F5): 3 plants, but only #1 is has set fruit on May 13. It is a blocky pale green about the size of a dime and is starting to get a little purple on the bottom tip.

Fire Opal 10-50 (F5): 3 plants, only #1 has set fruit on May 13. It is a light yellow-green


Fire Opal 10-40 (F5) or F6: 4 plants, #1 and #4 have set fruit. #l set on May 13 and is a pale yellow-green. #4 set today May 16 and is yellow-green also.

White Gold 09-33 (F5): 2 plants. #1 set April 26 and is pale yellow-green, slender elongated. #2 is medium yellow-green and set May 7, not quite as slender as #1


White Gold 09-36 (F5): no fruit set yet

Candy Corn 09-32 (F5):1st to set fruit on April 21
. Pale yellow green wide elongated pepper

Site won't let me upload the pictures for some reason, so I will try to edit later to add them.

Craig, I'm hoping when I get the pictures uploaded you will be able to see the stem coloration you asked about

[Linda10]

Finally got a chance to resize my pictures and upload.

Amethyst 08-27 (F4): 2 plants. Both plants turned from green to a deep black-purple, as dark as Royal Purple. Waiting for final color
Amethyst 08-27 #1 (5-16-11).jpg Amethyst 08-27 #2 (5-16-11).jpg
Amethyst 08-27 #1 (6-4-11).jpgAmethyst 08-27 #2 (6-4-11).jpg

Amethyst 09-28 (F5): 2 plants. Both plants started out pale yellow and blocky bell shape, turning deep lavender; Plant 1 changed almost overnight but plant 2 took a little longer.

Amethyst 09-28 #1 (5-16-11).jpg
Amethyst 09-28 #1 (6-4-11).jpgAmethyst 09-28 #2 (6-4-11).jpg

Royal Purple 10-47 (F5): 3 plants, but only #1 is has set fruit. Started out as a blocky pale green and is now a very black purple.
Royal Purple 1047 #1 (5-16-11).jpg
Royal Purple 10-47 #1 (6-4-11).jpg

Fire Opal 10-50 (F5): 3 plants, 2 have set fruit. Plant #1 started out a light yellow-green and has not changed color as it has grown. Plant #2 started out a medium green and is now lavender.
Fire Opal 10-50 #1 (5-16-11).jpg
Fire Opal 10-50 #1 (6-4-11).jpgFire Opal 10-50 #2 (6-4-11).jpg


Fire Opal 10-40 (F5) or F6: 4 plants, all have set fruit. All started a pale yellow-green and are now lavender.
Fire Opal 10-40 #1 (5-16-11).jpg
Fire Opal 10-40 #1 (6-4-11).jpgFire Opal 10-40 #2 (6-4-11).jpgFire Opal 10-40 #3 (6-4-11).jpgFire Opal 10-40 #4 (6-4-11).jpg

White Gold 09-33 (F5): 2 plants. Plant#1 started pale yellow-green, slender elongated and has not changed. Plant#2 started as a medium yellow-green and has not changed, not quite as slender as #1


White Gold 09-36 (F5): 1 plant. Set fruit May 18. Started out pale yellow and has not changed yet.
White Gold 09-36 #1 (6-4-11).jpg

Candy Corn 09-32 (F5): 2 plants. 1st of all the peppers to set fruit on April 21. Pale yellow green wide elongated pepper has not changed color. Plant #2 has not flowered yet and does not appear to be growing.
Candy Corn 09-32 #1 (5-16-11).jpg

[nctomatoman]

Looking good - and too soon to make any conclusions, of course! The peppers will get to full bell size then go to a ripe color....they tend to be pretty productive. My plants are just showing small buds - so you are quite ahead of me! Thanks for the update!

[Linda10]

Took some pictures today and added them to last report.

[nctomatoman]

Hey Linda - my Islander selections are looking excellent - many are now flowering. Very interesting to note the stem color - main stems on all of them seem to be striped medium and pale green (nearly green and white effect), but a few have pale lavender on the main stems also. Branch ★★★★★★★★s have varying amounts of either lavender or darker purple. Not sure what this may correlate to - need to wait for small fruit to check unripe color, then ripening colors. What I suspect I will find is that these are still a work in progress, after looking at your/my results. Mine are in 5 gallon grow bags - larger than usual for my sweet peppers - so I will get a pretty good look at them (and will have lots of peppers to deal with)