Mottled Grey Bean Grow-Out, 2017 (Year 3)

[Pulsegleaner]

Hi all

Well, as the title indicates, I have started work on year 3 of my attempts to adapt the Mottled Grey bean Richter's used to have to a more temperate climate. This is the LAST year of this project. At the end of this planting ALL original seed will have been gone through, so the actual testing will be done (after this, it will be the much simpler job of upping the descendants of those that DID make it through to higher levels)

Unfortunately I forgot I had to make this thread, and so forgot to do my usual "take a picture of the starter seed". So this time, it'll have to be my descriptions

#1 (17 seeds) kidney bean sized black seed-coat with sparse brown specks. Possibly simply the most extreme version of either the "standard" mottled (though they seemed a little chunkier than those usually are) or a patterned version of the "black" portion (though, with the exception of those two streaked ones that didn't make it last year, I have seen no evidence of that side having any patterned members) (For anyone confused about this, remember I worked out last year that the mottled seeds and the black ones were actually two different types of beans being sold together, as opposed to two color morphs of the same beans). Guess well have a clue as to the latter when they sprout (if they are of the black side, they should have heavy purple mottling on the cotyledons.

#2 (5 seeds) "standard" mottled (kidney shaped seed coat pattern similar to something like Pebblestone). These actually ARE standards from the first year of the work 5 seeds did not imbibe at that time and as I had so many I decided to simply put them away (they have been scarified this time, so they will imbibe no matter what)

#3 (7 seeds) same seed coat pattern as #2 but a much smaller bean with a rounder shape

#4 (2 seeds) again #2 seed coat but skinny again unlike #3 (but much smaller seeds than #2)

#5 (1 seed) seed coat and roughly the shape of #3, but a LOT bigger (I guess there is sort of a four square here, we have big skinny, small skinny big round and small round)

#6 like #1 but smaller

As usual will post updates as they become available.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Update #1
Sprouted and put in their permanent pots

Sprout list
1. 11-12/17 (65 -71%)
2+3. 12/12 (100%) I had the seedling pots of both of these in the same sprouting container, and as they look a lot more alike when imbibed than they do dry, I really can't tell which are which, so these will be mushed together until I see some trait of difference to re-seperate them.
4. 0/3 (0)%) * malformed
5. 0/1 (0%) rotted
6. 0/1 (0%) malformed

Notest
All of 1 showed white cots EXCEPT FOR ONE. I'm currently working under the supposition that that one was a pure black where I just thought I saw brown specks (it has been given a pot unto itself, to maximize purity) Barring that one, it looks like #1 is more of the mottled side of the family then the black one.

*I miscounted #4, there were 3 seeds, not 2.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Make that TWO #1's with mottled cots.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

6/6/17

WE HAVE BUDS!
At least one definite one, in pot #2-3 (I think). And if the shape is anything to go on, not only is THAT plant filled with buds but so are EVERY OTHER PLANT IN THE POT! Looks like I may have a working one here!

#1 and #3 (the two #1's which showed mottled cots) have yet to show similar signs (though one of #1 may be showing a climber) but the season is still early.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Flowers ALL OVER THE PLACE (in that pot at least)

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's a pretty colored flower.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

That's a pretty colored flower.

Which is actually how I can tell it belongs "in the fold" for the variety; they ALL have flowers that shade (then again, so does Fort Portal Violet so trying to work out if some of the stuff is that is ambiguous)

This differentiates it from the stuff last year, whose white flowers and shorter vines marked them as being different kinds that had gotten in by mistake.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That's one of the things I'm keeping careful track of this year for the crossed beans I'm growing out for Russ. I got really confused last year because I didn't do that, but now I'm keeping track of flower color by parts. Instead of saying pink flower I'll record white banner, pink wings, and white keel, if that happens again. I think that will help me keep the varieties straight.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

In my case I actually tie a piece of yarn (last year) or embroidery floss (this year) of a distinct color to each plant. That way, I can keep track of which plant each seed at the end of the year came from. Handy for ones whose differences are not physically apparent (things like days to maturity, length of vine etc.).

Actually, If I am right the ones with flowers probably ARE crosses already. If my memory is correct, that pots beans were the ones that look like the "regular" mottled type of seed coat (the one that looks sort of like Pebblestone) but different shapes Based on my results from previous years, that bean is normally SUPER late (as in I often don't see flowers until OCTOBER) and need to bring the pots in to let the pods mature. That these are FIRST to flower seems to indicate they may be a cross between the normal Mottled Grey and some other, much earlier bean.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Some flower buds on two plants in pot#1 as well now.