Very often on bags with seedlings of different vegetable crops, the marking "F1" is found. Not everyone knows what it means. We offer to understand why the manufacturer indicates this information.
Grades F1
The F1 marking indicates that you have hybrid seeds, that is, artificially crossed varieties of the two best representatives of crops. The letter F appeared from the Latin word "children" - filii, and the number 1 indicates the generation number.
Such seeds take the best qualities from their "parents." They are characterized by almost 100% germination, excellent yield and resistance to many diseases. But these qualities will not be inherited, and there is no guarantee that the fruits of the next generation will be just as good. This is the main difference between hybrid varieties and naturally selected ones, which have been forming their characteristics for years and pass them from generation to generation.
Hybrid Seed Benefits
- Resistant to many diseases.
- They give an increased yield.
- They have a high rate of germination.
- Not sensitive to temperature extremes.
- They tolerate diving and landing well.
- They are mainly self-pollinated.
Due to the fact that the procedure for breeding hybrid seeds on an industrial scale is quite expensive, they cost more than ordinary species. But their planting provides a guarantee of excellent germination of seeds and a rich harvest of juicy and healthy fruits.
Disadvantages of F1 varieties
- The high cost of seeds.
- From hybrid fruits, it is impossible to obtain seeds with the same qualities as their ancestors. Crossed fruits give all the best to only one generation of the crop.
- Hybrid plants reveal their properties only with sufficient care.
- Despite the fact that the fruits of hybrid plants are quite uniform and outwardly attractive, are stored for a long time and well transported, their taste is not always better than that of natural varieties.
Hybrid Seed Growing
In order to get a hybrid seed variety, breeders select the best representatives of vegetable crops. As a rule, crossing is carried out manually. Experts approach the selection of “parents” with maximum responsibility, the resulting hybrid will take from them only the best dominant features, so you need to cross as many useful properties of different varieties as possible in one.
One variety, for example, can be resistant to diseases or temperature changes, and the other has a high yield and a bright taste of the fruit. As a rule, bred hybrids will become even better.
The main condition for obtaining a quality hybrid is the use of self-pollinating varieties.
For several months, one flowering plant with stamens removed in advance is pollinated in a special way by pollen collected from another plant. This work is quite responsible and painstaking, selected varieties are kept by manufacturers in the strictest confidence. Hence the high cost of seeds bred in this way, called "F1".
