Question
QUESTION: hi Tom,
will the plants i grow from seed have the same characteristics as their mother plant??  OR, do i have to graft them ,onto rootstock? im in the sub tropics,
Paraguay.
         cheers,

         ian.


ANSWER: HI Ian,
Thanx for your question.  If your seed are taken from a hybrid plant, the resulting progeny will not resemple the parent plant.  In fact, mostly, they will be inferior, throw-backs to prior generations.  However, there are rare times (This is why we have hybridizers.) when a superior plant is the result.  Just because the new progeny is not the same as the parent doesn't mean it won't grow well or that the fruit won't be edible or even good-tasting.  You can't graft seeds onto a root stock but you can graft cuttings from the mother plant onto a hardy rootstock.  Now, you're getting into something that is beyond my expertise.  Let me know if you need information on grafting.  I can get that for you if you like.

I hope this helps.
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: thanks Tom ,for your quick reply.your right, about danger of throwback.i meant, once my plants from seed, are 1yr old, do i have to take a cutting, and graft, in order to retain, some of the disease resistance from the original vine..??
i thought  that seeds from HYBRIDS, are not FERTILE, and hence wouldnt germinate>>??(ie.. as in GMO plants , or, are THEY different>>??)
im hoping the seeds,from the  fruit   i bought, in a local supermarket, ARE NOT HYBRID.ie.. possibly  the vines in BRAZIL AND ARGENTINA, ARE STILL OF OLDER STOCK. SORRY to be so long winded.

         cheers,

         ian.

ANSWER: Hi Ian,
Thanx for the additional information.  Typically, grape breeders will graft hybrid cuttings onto a wild grape root stock or some other hardy type rootstock from which the weaker plant can draw on the strength and disease resistance of the rootstock.  Seeds from hybrid plants grapes would generally not be infertile they just won't come true.  However, oftentimes a hybridization will result in sterile or lack of seeds.  GMO plants have been genetically modified and many of the huge seed corporations intentionally modify plants so that they will either not produce seed or produce sterile seed so that one has to buy their seed year after year.  This is common with grain seeds that are sold in the international market and a point of contention between governments and large multi-national agricultural corporations.   Even in Brazil and Argentina, a lot of your grapes are going to come from hybrids.  However, there are open pollinated varieties and these should come true from seed.  You would need to find out the variety and then let me know what you have and I'll research the variety for you if you like.  I am a small farmer on the side and I specialize in open pollinated vegetables, so heirloom/open pollinated food plants are an interest of mine.

I hope this helps.
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi Tom,
ok, i was mixing  up, my GMO, with HYBRIDS.im in the UK. right  now ,and return to Paraguay in Oct.ill plant my seeds(there in an envelope in the fridge ), into pots, and see how they go .the next problem is going to be PRUNING ,IN THE sub tropics ,as the plants produce (to varying degrees)all yr.
im a retired farm worker, (dairy frm herdsman) ive  rented a small "parcella" and am going to grow STRAWBERRIES,for sale.
         thanks ,

         ian millar.

Answer
Hi Ian,
Here are two websites I think you'll find helpful for pruning your grapes.  One if from the U.S. state or Oregon, which has a mild climate in its grape-growing region near the Pacific Coast and the other is from Northern California.  I hope this helps.
Tom

http://www.bunchgrapes.com/pruning_grapes.html

http://cemariposa.ucdavis.edu/newsletterfiles/Backyard_Horticulture2576.pdf