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Which is better, hybrids or varieties? How does a hybrid differ from a variety? Which is better: variety or hybrid?

ABOUT TOMATO VARIETIES AND HYBRIDS

What is a variety, hybrid, F1, F2, F3...??? Tomatoes.

Varieties are groups of plants with similar characteristics (earliness, yield, fruit characteristics, etc.) But within each variety, heterogeneous properties appear, hence the later ripening than “should be” and the bizarreness of the forms... Therefore, breeders developed this so-called lines are plants of the same variety with the most uniform properties. Lines are obtained by selection and long-term self-pollination of several generations (usually at least 3-4) of plants. However, with long-term self-pollination, a decrease was found vitality plants. Such plants were already smaller and less productive.
Then they decided to cross two (or more) lines - this is how they got hybrids. Sometimes a line and a variety are crossed to produce a hybrid.

First generation hybrids designated as F1 (from Italian filli - children). When obtaining F1 hybrids, it was discovered that some of them are superior to both parents - both maternal and paternal forms - in a number of economically valuable traits (yield, early maturity, etc.). So all the new and best varieties nowadays are hybrids! Moreover, all F1 plants are identical in all characteristics.

The offspring obtained from F1 is called a hybrid of the second generation F2, from F2 - the third (F3), etc. With an increase in the number of generations, in F2, F3..., there is a deterioration in economically valuable traits. Therefore, only F1 hybrids are used in gardening.

Advantages of F1 hybrids is that they, unlike varieties, always produce more yield and better tolerate unfavorable growing conditions. When choosing between a variety and a hybrid for growing in a greenhouse, preference, of course, should be given to F1 hybrids. Unlike varieties, they have many positive qualities necessary specifically for greenhouses: resistance to low light, good fruit set in unfavorable conditions, resistance to fruit cracking due to changes in temperature and air humidity, etc. Only F1 hybrids are grown in heated winter greenhouses (varieties simply will not survive in such conditions).

But, nevertheless, many gardeners claim that F1 hybrids are less tasty than varieties. In addition, they do not have such a variety of shapes and colors as varieties, and their seeds are more expensive, but you cannot propagate them yourself and you have to buy new ones every year. Therefore, it is up to you to decide what to grow - varieties or hybrids.

One of the simplest for experienced and quite difficult for novice vegetable growers - this is the question of which seeds to buy - the FI variety or the FI hybrid - What is their difference, except, of course, that the seeds of FI hybrids are sometimes several times more expensive regular varieties. This and other questions are answered exhaustively by the breeder, Doctor of Agricultural Sciences S. F. GAVRISH.

IN recent years on the shelves of stores selling seeds vegetable crops, along with conventional varieties, F1 hybrids appeared. In principle, externally, except for the Latin letter F with the number 1 (F1) standing in front of the name of the variety (for example, tomato F1 Druzhok), these packages are no different from any others. But price for hybrid seeds significantly higher than for conventional varietal ones. And this is no coincidence.

To understand what the difference is between them, you first need to know how their seed production is carried out.

For many years in our country, both in large state vegetable farms and in private plots, seeds of only ordinary varieties of vegetable crops were used. By the concept of “ordinary variety” we mean a separate set of plants created and grown by a breeder with certain economic (yield, early ripening, marketability), morphological (number of leaves and their shape, fruit size and color, etc.) and other characteristics. The most important feature variety is its ability to retain all its positive and negative properties in the next offspring. When obtaining and storing seeds from plants of a common variety, especially from self-pollinating (tomato, peas, beans) or partially self-pollinating vegetable crops (pepper, eggplant, lettuce, beans), in subsequent offspring we will receive plants with almost exactly the same set of characteristics. This ability to transmit all its properties to offspring makes it easy to maintain and propagate, even on a personal plot, varieties of self-pollinating crops. But with mass procurement of seeds, when regular selection of the best plants for a given variety is not used, within 3-5 years the loss of some characteristics characteristic of a given variety is possible. As vegetable growers say, the variety is degenerating. Therefore, if you have a well-established seed production of varieties, even self-pollinating vegetable crops, once every 3-5 years you need to purchase elite seeds of the variety you like. It is better to buy them not on the market, but in stores owned by specialized enterprises engaged in the creation, propagation and sale of seeds of vegetable varieties (“Sortsevoshch”, “Russian seeds”, “Semko”, “Gavrish”, “Manul”).

The hybrid variety or F1 hybrid reproduces completely differently. Even two centuries ago, it was known that when crossing two different varieties, the size of the plants in the offspring noticeably increases, their growth and development accelerates, and early ripening and productivity increase. This phenomenon, that is, an increase in vitality in the offspring obtained from crossing two different varieties, is called heterosis. And the more contrasting the parent varieties are, the more they differ from each other, the higher the heterosis.

F1 hybrids are also distinguished by their early maturity and higher yield, resistance to adverse environmental factors and uniformity of production. Their valuable quality is their good adaptability to a frequently changing and not always favorable environment. IN extreme conditions cultivation ( early spring, with sudden changes in air temperature or summer heat), F1 hybrids develop significantly better than conventional varieties. A high level of adaptation to unfavorable factors contributes to consistently high yields.

An equally important requirement for F1 hybrids is their genetic resistance to diseases and pests. This is especially true when growing vegetable crops in film greenhouses. The specific microclimate of protected soil and prolonged cultivation of one or two crops in one place lead to a significant accumulation of pathogenic microflora and fauna. Chemical methods control of diseases and pests in protected soil is not always effective and reliable. In addition, tomato or cucumber fruits intended for fresh consumption should not contain residual amounts of pesticides. Therefore, the genetic resistance of F1 hybrids to diseases, due to the combination of characteristics of two parental lines, is always higher than that of conventional varieties. F1 tomato hybrids with group resistance to three to four diseases have already been obtained and are being used in production. (tobacco mosaic virus, brown leaf spot, fusarium, verticillium) and root-knot nematodes.

Friendly emergence of seedlings, uniformity of plants, high quality and uniformity of fruits, genetic resistance to diseases and pests - positive qualities F1 hybrids due to their biological uniformity. Therefore for personal plot, if possible, you need to purchase seeds of only F1 hybrids.

Unlike conventional varieties, it is unacceptable to harvest seeds from hybrid plants. Due to splitting, the offspring turns out to be so variegated and heterogeneous that there can be no talk of any high yield. The fact that the seeds of F1 hybrids must be purchased in the store each time is their only drawback. But since the germination of tomato and cucumber seeds lasts 5-7 years, you can immediately purchase them for several years.

It is impossible to obtain hybrid seeds on your own in a home garden without having the original parental lines. Therefore, if you see seeds of F1 hybrids on sale from private traders, then this is probably not true. By buying hybrid seeds on the market, you risk your harvest.

Now about the price of F1 hybrid seeds. All work on crossing two parental lines to obtain hybrid seeds is usually carried out manually in protected ground. For example, in a tomato crop, when obtaining F1 hybrids, it is necessary to castrate (that is, remove the stamens) all opening flowers on the maternal line, collect pollen from the opened flowers of the paternal line using a vibrator, and very carefully apply it several times (over two to three days) to stigma of the pistil. Work on hybrid seed production continues every day for two to three months. One person can get only 3-4 kg of hybrid tomato seeds per season. Therefore the price of hybrid seeds is several times higher than that of conventional varietal seeds. But the cost of seeds is only 0.5-1% of the cost of the resulting product. Undoubtedly, any vegetable grower, when choosing seeds, gives preference to the F1 hybrid rather than the variety.

When we say the word “variety,” we mean “a set of plants created as a result of selection and possessing certain inherited morphological, physiological... characteristics and properties” TSB. — 1969—1978. Breeding work creating a new variety is a labor-intensive, lengthy and complex process. Reproduction seed propagation- this is the key difference between a VARIETY and a HYBRID.

Hybrids are obtained by controlled pollination of pre-selected parent varieties, which results in a generation that is a hybrid (from the Latin hibrida, hybrida - cross).

Heterotic hybrid (translated from Greek language- change, transformation - increase in the viability of hybrids) is the result of crossing two or more varieties (or wild species) of related crops. Heterosis with the greatest effect manifests itself in the first generation of the hybrid, which is designated as “F1”. "F" means "children" (from the Italian "Filli"), "1" is the generation number.

A hybrid is a variety bred in one and only generation. Such abutilone is not able to transfer the qualities inherent in it to its own seeds - this is its main difference from the variety. The seeds of “F1” hybrids are viable, successfully germinate and develop into plants of their own species, i.e. You will definitely get abutilons, but the varietal characteristics of the new generation are fading into oblivion. But “F1” hybrids are capable of fully propagating vegetatively (by cuttings) while maintaining their distinctive properties. New plants grown from cuttings are no different from the hybrid parent.

As always, there is one “BUT”. It's not that simple with hybrids. The fact is that hybrids are able to fully demonstrate the properties inherent in them only with a high level of agricultural technology - the condition of the soil, the required level and composition of nutrition, soil and air humidity, the level of illumination and the length of daylight hours. Speaking in simple words- hybrids of abutilones, which are the majority of fashionable and popular foreign varieties, chameleons. Most of us are not certified agronomists, do not know all the intricacies of agricultural technology, and do not always have the opportunity to provide ideal living conditions indoor plants in the apartment. Just try to show care towards your pets, provide basic care and everything will work out. The abutilons will be happy with life, and you will be happy with the abundant and bright flowering, whether they are varieties or hybrids.

Names of varieties and hybrids.

The names of varieties (cultivars) are subject to the International Code of Nomenclature cultivated plants" Also in many countries, this rule is spelled out in laws on registration and other manipulations with varieties.

Due to differences in the writing of letters of the alphabet and writing systems in different countries, it is assumed that it is necessary to transliterate or transcribe the names of new varieties in order to make it possible to register them in another territory. The names of varieties and their transliteration or transcription are considered as one and the same name. The name of the plant variety is given in the original language in which the author named it and its transcription is given in accordance with the language in which it needs to be pronounced. The artistic translation of the plant is provided for reference only. Therefore, “Purple Elephant” and “Purple Elephant” are different names that varieties of the same species can have. In England, “Purple Elephant” will be like “Phioletovi Slon”, and in Russia it is correct to write “Purple Elephant” with the name “Purple Elephant”. The translation can be given in the description for reference, but not in the title.

Article by S. Chubarov, Ph.D. biol. Sciences, St. Petersburg, magazine "Aquarium Terrarium" No. 1, 2000.

Botanical nomenclature.
Rules for writing names of species and varieties.

Judging by journal articles, and many books (not only domestic, but also foreign), most authors do not know how to correctly write the name of a species and especially a variety or hybrid aquarium plants. Even the great Carl Linnaeus wrote: “Without knowing the name, you lose the understanding of things.” You and I, dear reader, also need names - the correct names of our favorites, in this case aquarium plants. These names must be unique, that is, each species, subspecies or variety can have only one correct name. Only in this case will you and I be able to reach mutual understanding. Without delving into the wilds of botany, we will note for ourselves only a few basic rules for writing plant names that every reader of popular science literature (and even more so the authors of articles) need to know.

The name of a new species (subspecies, etc.) is given by a botanist who first described it according to certain rules in a scientific publication. A special branch of science - botanical nomenclature - regulates the process of naming a plant, its writing, renaming, publication, and is responsible for the correctness and uniqueness of names. In modern biology, binary (introduced by C. Linnaeus) names of species are accepted, consisting of two Latin words: the generic name and the specific epithet. For example: Echinodorus uruguayensis Arech. Not all readers understand Latin, so you can write (transcribe) the name in Russian letters. In our case it will be Echinodorus uruguaensis. The specific epithet needs to be translated, it turns out - Echinodorus uruguayan. If there is an original Russian name for this plant, then you need to use it. For example: Potamogeton perfoliatus L. = perforated pondweed. However, even in popular science articles, in addition to Russian names (transcribed or original), it would be good to provide a Latin name. This is desirable for complete clarity of the subject of discussion, because the same species can have several local names, and it is easy to make a mistake in the transcription. Moreover, on different languages Latin names are pronounced differently.

For greater accuracy, after the specific epithet the surname of the author, or several authors who made scientific description of this type (surname - in Latin transcription - in full or in the accepted abbreviation). If the species described by the author was later assigned to another genus (its status was changed, etc.), then its surname is put in brackets, followed by the surname of the scientist who created the new combination (that is, who redefined this species). For example, in 1866 the species Alisma nymphaeifolius Grisebach was described, and in 1882 this species was placed in another genus and now its name is written as follows: Echinodorus nymphaeifolius (Grisebach) Buchenau.

Often hybrid species or plant varieties are found in aquarium culture. I will give a definition from the “Popular Dictionary of Biology” (Reimers, 1991): a hybrid (from the Latin hybrid - cross) is an organism obtained as a result of crossing genetically dissimilar parental forms (species, breeds, lines, etc.). Hybrids that arise in nature are called natural. For the genus Echinodorus, K. Rattay describes several natural hybrids, for example, Echinodorus macrophyllus (Kunth) Mich, found in Brazil. x E. Scaber Rataj. In the example given, the hybrid is indicated by the formula. An "x" separates one parent species from another. The same formula can be written shorter: Echinodorus macrophyllus x scaber. The remaining writing rules are the same as described above. Resistant natural hybrids can receive their own specific epithet. This happens the same way as with common species, that is, with the help of the so-called effective promulgation - a description of a new taxon given according to certain rules.
In recent years, thanks to the efforts of breeders, not only natural views and hybrids, but also man-bred varieties of aquatic plants. While the names of plants from nature (cultivated) must obey the rules of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (1988), the names of cultivated plants (man-bred) are governed by the International Code of Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants (1980). These documents are periodically refined and supplemented at regularly held international botanical congresses.

A variety or cultivar (“cultivar” or, for short, “cv”) refers to plants bred by man (using certain methods) with new qualities. A variety (cultivar) is a collection of individuals of cultivated plants of one species or another that has certain biological, morphological and economic (in our case, decorative) properties that differ to one degree or another from the properties of other varieties of plants of the same species. Plants of the same variety have a common natural basis(heredity) and are able to transmit it from generation to generation.
Most varieties of Echinodorus are bred by hybridization. However, other ways to obtain them are also possible. Thus, Echinodorus scblueteri "Leopard" was obtained by selection, and the variety Echinodorus "Oriental" was obtained as a natural mutation of another variety - Echinodorus "Rose". However, regardless of the method of obtaining the variety, its name is written according to the general rule. First, the scientific name of the genus and species is indicated (if it is not a hybrid), then the name of the variety is written in single quotes and with a capital letter, and all words in the name of the variety are written with a capital letter (except for “and”, “or”, etc. "). Instead of quotation marks, you can put the Latin word "cultivar" (abbreviated as "cv.") or the Russian word "sort". For example: Echinodorus cordifolius "Tropica Marble Queen" = E. cordifolius cr. Tropica Marble Queen = Echinodorus cordifolia "Tropica Marble Queen" = Echinodorus cordifolia variety Tropica Marble Queen.

If a variety is obtained through hybridization, its origin can be indicated by a formula, just as described above for natural hybrids, with the “mother” plant that produced the seeds in the first place in the formula. For brevity or when the exact origin is not known, the name of the variety may immediately follow the name of the genus (both in Latin and in Russian): Echinodorus "Ozelot" = Echinodorus "Ozelot" = Echinodorus "Ocelot". A translation of a foreign varietal name cannot be used, and if necessary, its transcription (transliteration) into Russian must be used. Name domestic varieties give in Russian general rules, but at the first publication with a description of the variety, a transcription of its name using the Latin alphabet is required.

Regarding the names of new varieties, the following rules apply:

• do not give varieties Latin names(since 1954), i.e. the name of the variety should not contain any Latin words;
• the same variety name cannot be used twice within the same genus;
• varietal names must consist of no more than three words. Moreover, a figure, number or some abbreviation is considered a word;
• the name of the variety must be characteristic (for example: not the “Yellow” rose, but the “Yellow Queen” rose);
• the name of the variety must be composed arbitrarily, i.e., clearly differ from the epithets of varieties or other intraspecific taxa in botany;
• the name of the variety should not include the scientific or common name of the species, genus (this may lead to confusion);
• the name of hybrid varieties cannot be formed by combining Latin epithets of the parent species;
• the name should not contain the words “variety”, “form”, “variety”, “forma”.

• names of countries, states, areas without qualifying words (for example, the legal name is “Miracle of Oregon”, but not “Oregon”);
• numbers;
• surnames (and names) of prominent political figures;
• individual letters at the beginning of the name;
• abbreviations of personal names (and surnames) and place names (the legal name is "William Thomas" rather than "Wm. Thomas");
• excessively long words, as well as words that are difficult to pronounce;

All I can do is urge the authors of popular science articles to follow the rules of botanical nomenclature, which is simply necessary for complete mutual understanding between the author and readers. And Russian breeders who create and describe new varieties think very carefully about their names. Unfortunately, in our country, as far as I know, there is no commission for testing varieties of aquarium plants. This commission must reject incorrect (illegal) names or incorrect descriptions of varieties, weed out varieties that are not interesting, similar to those already registered, difficult to cultivate, etc. Unimpressive, uninformative, complex names of varieties are quickly forgotten and lost. And since varieties of aquarium plants are not registered with us, after a while the breeder who named new variety, for example, in his honor, may find it on the market under a different, brighter and more expressive name.

Any gardener has heard that there are selective and hybrid varieties of vegetable crops. But not everyone knows how hybrid seeds differ from regular ones and how to determine whether they belong to one or the other. Information about this and the differences in agricultural technology between varietal and hybrid plants will be useful to many beginning vegetable growers.

Differences between variety and hybrid

You need to start, first of all, by defining the variety and hybrid. A variety is a group of cultivated plants obtained through selection and possessing a certain useful characteristic or characteristics that distinguish them from all other representatives of the same species.

New varieties are developed from other varieties as a result of targeted selection of the best specimens. Usually this requires more than one generation of plants; the work takes several years, or even decades. Closely related varieties that have similar characteristics are combined into variety types.

All varietal plants have the same appearance, economic and morphological characteristics and invariably pass them on to their offspring. Therefore, one can hope that from the seeds collected from the fruits of such plants grown in their own beds, vegetables will grow that are no different from the previous ones.

Varietal plants can be easily propagated and grown on your site for several years in a row, without purchasing seeds from manufacturers.

Hybrids are plants that are obtained as a result of controlled crossing of 2 or several parental forms (varieties or lines) differing in genotype. The first generation of hybrids is designated by the marking, the second - “F2”, etc. The purpose of obtaining them for breeders is to use the phenomenon of heterosis, or increased vitality, which manifests itself when “parents” are combined with different genes.

In practice, this translates into the following advantages:

• acceleration of growth and development, adaptation to unfavorable conditions;
• a sharp increase in viability, early maturity or yield;
• strengthening resistance to diseases and pests;
• simultaneous fruiting;
• increasing the transportability and keeping quality of fruits.

Agricultural enterprises usually prefer to grow all kinds of hybrids rather than varieties. However, hybrids, as a rule, are inferior to varietal vegetables in terms of richness of taste and nutritional value.

And now about the main difference between one and the other. The fundamental difference between them lies precisely in the stability of the transmission of characteristic characteristics to generations of descendants. In hybrids, the characteristics for which they are obtained are extremely unstable and disintegrate into the original ones, starting from the second generation.

Plants obtained from seeds taken from the fruits of F1 hybrids lag behind them in many respects and do not grow as quickly. They are less productive, and this is one of the main characteristics that distinguishes hybrid plants from varietal ones. This is why you should not collect seeds from hybrid fruits. Only the right decision in this case, buy the seeds of the hybrid you like in vegetable growing stores every season again. Moreover, you need to choose a manufacturer that has good reputation, and not take whatever you have from random sellers.

How to identify varietal and hybrid seeds

Visually, by external signs, this is impossible to do. In this respect, a variety is no different from a hybrid: all seeds of plants of the same species are similar to each other in size, shape and color.

Some vegetable growers have noticed that the seeds of hybrids are smaller and even in size. Most often this is exactly the case, but you don’t always need to rely on this alone. The evenness of the seeds is explained by the fact that they are calibrated using special installations.

It is more difficult to obtain hybrids, so their seeds are more expensive, especially the newest varieties. They are also most often treated with protective substances. bright colors- in any case, foreign companies always carry out such processing of their products. These are indirect signs by which hybrids can be distinguished from varieties.

In fact, the only way to identify hybrid seeds is by the “F1” or “F2” marking after the name, indicating a 1st or 2nd generation hybrid. Such information is always placed on the seed package on both sides; it is difficult not to notice it.

Features of agricultural technology

You can’t just choose one or another variety of vegetables, buy seeds and count on high yield. In order for them to show their full potential, plants need to be provided with certain growing conditions and constant care.

The technology for cultivating varieties and hybrids involves timely watering and fertilizing, because without nutrients coming from the soil, good harvest won't be able to get it. This is especially true for hybrids, since they are more productive and therefore require more intensive nutrition.

Plants need to be protected from weeds by regularly removing them from the beds so that they do not pull nutrients from the soil; protect from pests and diseases, that is, during the growing season, carry out spraying - preventive or therapeutic in case of detection of diseases. If you do not take care of the plants, not a single variety, even the best one, will be able to produce the entire volume of yield declared by the breeders.

So, determine varietal seeds or not, it's very simple. When purchasing them, you need to pay attention to what is written on the packages and save them so that you can always clarify the information.

Those who have been growing vegetables and fruits for many years know important differences between a pure variety and a hybrid. The most important thing is taste. So, the pure variety wins unconditionally on this point. Breeders have worked hard and developed a great variety of hybrids, trying to improve the aroma and taste with each new product. But still, many farmers not only return to organics, but also switch from hybrids to pure varieties.

What are the advantages pure varieties before hybrids, we will try to explain in this article.

What is a variety and a hybrid?

Variety is a definition for a selectively selected group of plants. All these plants have their characteristic features, although they look very similar to each other. Seeds of varietal crops retain all these characteristics, even if they are planted from year to year.

Hybrid- is the result of crossing several the best varieties in order to improve external, taste and other characteristics. Hybrid seeds are no longer capable of reproducing plants of decent quality.

When purchasing seeds in a store, pay attention to the F1 marking. This inscription denotes a hybrid.

Pros of hybrids

Equally ideal appearance of the fruits (the shape and size of all fruits are usually approximately the same).

Productivity is high.

It is resistant to diseases and pests.

Self-pollinating plants.

Cons of hybrids

A plant will be able to show all its advantages only if all favorable conditions are created for it:

• Availability of fertile soil.
• Compliance temperature regime When growing, sudden temperature changes have a negative effect.
• Weeds must be completely absent.
• Strict adherence to the watering regime (the plant will not survive drought, but excess moisture can also be harmful).
• Timely and numerous feedings.

The hybrid may not withstand the slightest climatic changes or natural anomalies. It is absolutely not adapted to changes in the environment.

Pros of pure varieties

Minimal dependence on agricultural technology.

They can easily survive untimely watering and fertilizing.

They contain a large number useful substances, because varietal plants are closer to nature. They are natural in their biochemical composition. (Compare wild strawberries with country strawberries, and strawberries from your garden with imported berries).

Varietal plants contain much more vitamins and other beneficial components.

The taste qualities of the varieties are significantly superior to the hybrids.

Varietal crops, when propagated by seeds, retain their most important properties for several generations. best qualities.

The varieties are absolutely unpretentious and depend little on the place of cultivation, care and maintenance.

Varietal plants will be able to adapt to natural and weather changes, temperature changes and various climatic surprises and anomalies.

Fruit varietal crops are a storehouse of biologically active components and high level content of substances beneficial to humans.

Disadvantages of pure varieties

Compared to hybrids, some varieties are bee-pollinated. For example, all varieties of cucumbers without exception, which causes certain inconvenience to summer residents and gardeners. At the same time, cucumbers can still have a bitter taste, and the number of fruits is often small (which cannot be said about hybrids).

One of the largest and significant shortcomings is the difficulty of collecting high-quality seeds from cross-pollinated crops. If in a garden or summer cottage beds with carrots, pumpkin or any cruciferous crops grow in close proximity to each other, then they pollinate each other. This means that their best qualities are reduced or completely lost. But on small area On the ground, it is difficult to isolate plants to a “safe” distance.

Each gardener can only decide for himself what to choose - hybrids or varieties.

Some annually purchase seeds and various mineral supplements from specialized stores, and consider this a very convenient and low-cost (time-consuming) process. Others enjoy spending a lot of time in their garden beds. They are engaged organic farming, use only natural fertilizers, and introduce mulching. They carefully select the best and highest quality seeds for future plantings. Most likely, hybrids are grown by those who do it for commercial purposes. Gardeners who want to eat real vegetables and fruits and make delicious preparations for the whole family must, sooner or later, return to varietal crops.

As an experiment, first plant several varieties of tomatoes. The grown varietal fruits will remind you of the taste of childhood, the taste of tomatoes from your grandmother's garden.

Many gardeners, both beginners and experienced, know what a variety is, they know that varieties of fruit, berry or vegetable crops can differ in the size of the fruit, their taste, ripening time and other quality characteristics. However, when purchasing seeds, we may encounter, for example, the following name: Harvest pepper F1. The presence of F1 in the name indicates that it is a hybrid. But what is it and how does it differ from a variety? Let's try to figure it out.

And so, let’s start with the definitions of the above concepts, and then we’ll figure out what other selection terms there are.

Variety is a collection of plants that are similar in morphological, economic and biological characteristics. All existing varieties, depending on their origin, are divided into local (varieties of folk selection) and selection (obtained various methods selection: artificial mutagenesis, polyploidy, hybridization). How varieties are developed fruit plants you can read in this article...

There are three main types of varieties: line, population and clone varieties.

Line varieties- these are varieties that are the offspring of one self-pollinating plant. Such varieties are characteristic of obligate (obligatory) self-pollinators. An example is beans, peas, tomatoes. Their offspring are relatively stable and are little subject to changes in generations, since the percentage of cross-pollination is not large or is completely absent.

Population varieties- these are varieties that are the offspring of cross-pollinating crops. This includes varieties of radish, cabbage, and cucumber. The offspring of these varieties are more susceptible to changes, since during cross-pollination natural hybridization occurs both with other varieties and with wild relatives (for example, with wild radish or cabbage) and when sowing on next year the fruits of the variety “suddenly” begin to differ from what you planted in previous years.

Varieties clones- these are varieties propagated vegetatively. They are the offspring of one vegetatively propagated plant. Clonal varieties are distinguished by the greatest stability of characteristics and are practically not subject to changes over time. An exception can be considered clonal variability, when a variety deteriorates or improves due to the accumulation of mutations due to natural radioactivity, ultraviolet radiation and other factors.

In fruit growing, all varieties are clones - the vegetative offspring of one plant. But not only in fruit growing. For example, clone varieties are potatoes, garlic, horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, various perennial flower plants(dahlias, gladioli) and other vegetatively propagated plants.

U Terimin clone there are two interpretations. The main one is a complete copy of the plant organism. In this case, the clone inherits all the characteristics of the mother plant and is genetically identical to it. However, in the practice of breeding fruit plants, the term “clone” is also used to refer to varieties obtained as a result of natural or induced bud mutations. For example, in the Amur region, the plum variety Manchurian prune was cultivated, which has fruits of a flat-round shape and weighing 16 grams. However, when vegetative propagation Among the trees, one was identified with round, unequal-sided fruits weighing 28 grams. The isolated plant was propagated and transferred to the State Research Institute under the name Blagoveshchensk prunes. The origin of this variety states: clone of Manchurian prune. In world practice, cases of obtaining bud mutants of apple trees are not uncommon. Look how many bud mutations the three American apple varieties Delicious, Golden Delicious and Jonathan have.

It is unlikely that anyone has come across such names, since in our stores the names of the varieties either do not appear, or are indicated very roughly. However, it is natural mutations that make it possible to obtain a large number of different varieties. Did you know thatAlmost 80% of gladioli are bud mutants.

At the same time, in the practice of agronomy and horticulture, the concepts hybrid and form are often encountered.

Hybrid - is a plant obtained from crossing two or more plants, combining the characteristics of several generations of parent individuals. Unlike a variety, a hybrid is not characterized by stability of characteristics and when sowing seeds, its offspring will differ significantly from the maternal one. Usually hybrids are obtained in order to develop a variety. To do this, plants with the desired characteristics are selected and combined in one plant through hybridization. Subsequently, work is carried out to select and stabilize the necessary characteristics. Breeders ensure that the resulting traits are consistently inherited. In fruit growing, hybrids with the desired properties are propagated vegetatively, which also ensures the stable transmission of traits to subsequent generations. However, in vegetable growing and floriculture, heterotic hybrids of the first generation (F 1) are used for the production of marketable products. Such hybrids are characterized by high productivity and large fruits, but in the second generation (when sowing seeds from collected fruits) these properties are lost. The fact is that heterosis (in direct translation, hybrid power) manifests itself only in the first generation when not all varieties or initial forms are crossed. Scientific institutions are specially engaged in the search for such parents, during the hybridization of which heterosis manifests itself (as a rule, these are geographically distant hybrids and varieties). If such a pair is found, then it is used to produce F1 seeds, which are then sold. The bottom line is that heterotic hybrids need constant reproduction and they can only be reproduced in specialized seed-growing enterprises. Exactly pTherefore, there is no point in collecting seeds from F1 plants.

Form is a concept that is not often used in agronomic and horticultural practice. Usually the literature does not give a clear concept of this term. In breeding, the term form is very often used to refer to a hybrid or seedling. For example, G.I. Gosenchenko from crossing the Ussuri pear with the Tyoma variety obtained several hybrid seedlings, among which he singled out one with the best combination signs of large fruit, taste and winter hardiness. He named it F-125 (shape - 125, according to the number of the seedling in the breeding garden). Under this name it was distributed in the Amur region until the end of the 70s of the 20th century. Later, this form became a variety and was zoned under the name Pamyat Gosenchenko.

At the same time, form- this is not always a hybrid obtained by man. In nature, deviations from the norm are very often observed within a species or population. For example, the Ussuri pear as a species has a large number of forms, differing in the shape of the crown, weight and color of the fruit, ripening time and taste qualities. Almost everyone who has tried bird cherry knows that there are forms with sweet and sour fruits, there are less productive (2-3 fruits in a cluster) and more productive (long clusters of up to 10 fruits), ripening early and late. That is, forms can be distinguished not only among artificially obtained hybrids, but also in nature. The presence of a large number of forms in a plant is called polymorphism and is the basis of selection.