Aw Shucks!
SeedFolks Popcorn Breeding
Task
The purpose is to develop a new variety of corn, SeedFolks popcorn, that produces well under different environmental stressed, such as extreme weather conditions and increased pest and disease pressures.
Overview
The SeedFolks variety of popcorn that we're developing is a modern landrace. Landraces are historically locally adapted, traditional varieties from a particular region or people. Landraces are different from modern varieties in that they are not uniform in appearance. In Cary Fowler and Pat Mooney's groundbreaking work, Shattering: Food, Politics, and the Loss of Genetic Diversity, they explain that these landraces can be referred to as folk seed.
Some traditional plant breeders are working to create new landraces as a response to the shrinking agricultural biodiversity and concerns over the susceptibility of uniform crops to respond to increased climatic, pest, and disease pressures. Another advantage of landraces is that, because they do not have clearly defined traits, they cannot be patented and hence this seed will remain in the hands of the people and thus are truly folk seed.
Our 6th grade students, also read Paul Fleischman's charming and heartwarming book Seedfolks. The novel starts with a Vietnamese immigrant girl who plants 6 lima beans and through this act a community emerges and a flourishing garden is created. Our variety is dedicated to the countless people who save and share seeds and in doing so grow not only plants, but a community.
The purpose is to develop a new variety of corn, SeedFolks popcorn, that produces well under different environmental stressed, such as extreme weather conditions and increased pest and disease pressures.
Overview
The SeedFolks variety of popcorn that we're developing is a modern landrace. Landraces are historically locally adapted, traditional varieties from a particular region or people. Landraces are different from modern varieties in that they are not uniform in appearance. In Cary Fowler and Pat Mooney's groundbreaking work, Shattering: Food, Politics, and the Loss of Genetic Diversity, they explain that these landraces can be referred to as folk seed.
Some traditional plant breeders are working to create new landraces as a response to the shrinking agricultural biodiversity and concerns over the susceptibility of uniform crops to respond to increased climatic, pest, and disease pressures. Another advantage of landraces is that, because they do not have clearly defined traits, they cannot be patented and hence this seed will remain in the hands of the people and thus are truly folk seed.
Our 6th grade students, also read Paul Fleischman's charming and heartwarming book Seedfolks. The novel starts with a Vietnamese immigrant girl who plants 6 lima beans and through this act a community emerges and a flourishing garden is created. Our variety is dedicated to the countless people who save and share seeds and in doing so grow not only plants, but a community.
Foundation Seed 2018
This breeding project has started with the following foundation seed:
Glass Gem
Harmony Grain Mix - Pulled Popcorn - Not done
Indian Berry - Not done
Lady Finger 192 - take photo of envelop
Rootbeer - Not done
Smoke Signal - Not done
South American Dynamite
Tom Thumb
Yellow Pearl Pop
Testing Dating
Here is a first draft of our data collection form.
This breeding project has started with the following foundation seed:
Glass Gem
Harmony Grain Mix - Pulled Popcorn - Not done
Indian Berry - Not done
Lady Finger 192 - take photo of envelop
Rootbeer - Not done
Smoke Signal - Not done
South American Dynamite
Tom Thumb
Yellow Pearl Pop
Testing Dating
Here is a first draft of our data collection form.
Popcorn Breeding Analysis
Year 2 - Planted Spring 2019
New Varieties added to mix:
Glass Gem - source Seed Savers Exchange
Popcorn pulled from Mix - landrace developed by Joseph Lofthouse
Glass Gem - source Seed Savers Exchange
Popcorn pulled from Mix - landrace developed by Joseph Lofthouse
Entire field stolen in 2017 :( Took 2018 off, disheartened
Year 1 - Planted Spring 2016
Here is our data for our first harvest in Fall 2016 - our first generation, 16 - Gen 1.
This first year was more to give us a sense of what the different varieties look like and their level of productivity. The crossing wasn't the focus this first generation though we were able to see signs of some crossing.
This first year was more to give us a sense of what the different varieties look like and their level of productivity. The crossing wasn't the focus this first generation though we were able to see signs of some crossing.
