Breeding biennials on an annual cycle with vernalization

General Discussions
1

Some plants need a period of cold hours before they set seed - typically on the second year after they’ve passed through a winter. A way to artificially induce that period is by putting those crops in fridges for a number of weeks, e.g. if you live in a climate where the winter doesn’t get cold enough. This is called vernalization.

Carrots are a case in point. Winters get cold enough here. But could I use vernalization to get flowers from carrot in their first year? That would speed up the breeding cycle.

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2

I tried this with beets. Results were about 50/50, but I wasn’t trying for precision so I lost a good percentage in storage. Other problems as well, but I did get seeds from several roots.

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3

Interesting. You mean you grew beets then vernalized them for a number of weeks and then planted them out again the same growing season to set seed?

4

Yes. Several rotted in the fridge, others dried up. I wasn’t paying enough attention. Of those that survived to be planted out, I think 3 produced seed. This was 2012, irrc.

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5

I tried this a few times with artichokes - not in the fridge but outdoors in March/April after starting them indoors in January. Most of the time, nothing happened. Occasionally I got a couple of tiny (but tasty!) artichokes.

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6

Bumping this thread to ask if anyone in southern Europe is interested to run an experiment?

The setup:

  • I grow carrots and beets this season. Starting April. Let’s say they take 3-4 months to maturity, so harvesting mid-July.
  • I select the best roots from visual criteria and vernalize them for 2-3 months
  • In September or October, I do a taste selection of the roots with a lot of tasters
  • I send the roots to you
  • You plant out the vernalized roots in a frost-free greenhouse to bolt, cross with each other and set seed (3-4 months)
  • Some time in winter between January and March, you harvest the seed, save some for yourself and send the rest back to me.

The goal? To learn whether this is a viable method for us. With the potential to speed up breeding on a lot of root vegetables.

Requirements

  • You’re interested to learn about vernalization in practice
  • You have a frost-free greenhouse

Everyone else, esp. those who know more about this process, does this setup hold water? Please critique away and point out weaknesses - I have a feeling there is likely something I missed given my zero experience with this method.

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