Hello All,
Does anybody know what percentage of apple seeds if germinated, would stay true to their parent plant's variety?
I suppose it must vary from variety to variety. Would all of the seeds become new types of apple in some cases?
I wonder if there is abook anywhere that goes into detail the whole subject of species mutation and whatnot, even maybe listing apples that will change their type and ones that won't
Cheers,
Daniel

dantheman50_98 wrote:
Hello All,
Does anybody know what percentage of apple seeds if
germinated, would stay true to their parent plant's variety?
I suppose it must vary from variety to variety. Would all of the seeds
become new types of apple in some cases?
I wonder if there is abook anywhere that goes into detail the whole
subject of species mutation and whatnot, even maybe listing apples that
will change their type and ones that won't
Cheers,
Daniel



Quite simple: An apple variety is a clone. Seeds will *never* germinate
into clones of their parents.

Generally varieties of plants that are vegetatively reproduced are
clones. Varieties of plants that are reproduced by seed are highly
inbred and stay true to variety unless cross polinated.

You might try reading this: http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/mg/manual/prop.htm

dantheman50_98 wrote:
Hello All,
Does anybody know what percentage of apple seeds if
germinated, would stay true to their parent plant's variety?

zero percent

I suppose it must vary from variety to variety. Would all of the seeds
become new types of apple in some cases?

In all cases. Apples are clones. This means that all apples of a given
variety, for example Honey Crisp, come from the same original seed, one
seed. Every apple seed has this potential to become it's own distinct
variety. So, if you start from seed every seed will have this
potential.

It takes about 50 years for a proper grow out, evaluation, and
propagation to develop a new variety. Thousands of seedlings must be
grown out in order to find and develop the one special seedling that
will become a new variety. Almost all apple breeding is done at
universities where they have the land and the patience for apple
breeding.

If you want a named variety it must be purchased as a small tree. This
clone will be descended from one original seed or tree which was
determined in the grow out to have what it takes to be a new variety.
Then that seedling has to be propogated and reproduced. So, all Honey
Crisp apples all come from one original mother tree and have been
cloned and re-cloned and grafted onto a different root stock. All
commercial apple varieties are grafted as are most fruit trees. You
would not grow Honey Crisp or any other named variety on it's own
roots. You graft them onto the roots of another type of apple, like a
crab apple, which has better frost and disease resistance.

On a hobby level, you can certainly plant your seed as an experiment.
You will get an apple tree, for sure. What you will not get is a named
variety, not ever. There is no way of knowing exactly what you will
get. So if you just want to have a little fun, then go ahead. But, if
you want a named variety you have to buy a tree. You cannot plant a
seed to get a named apple variety unless you plan to grow out thousands
and can wait 50 years.

Lawrence

Thank you for the very detailed replies. Do you reckon it would be possible to grow a seed and name the young tree as a new variety before the fruit has even developed, no matter how disease-prone or disgusting the fruit may turn out to be? Judging by your answers, it looks like a no though.

dantheman50_98 wrote:
Thank you for the very detailed replies. Do you reckon it would be
possible to grow a seed and name the young tree as a new variety before
the fruit has even developed, no matter how disease-prone or disgusting
the fruit may turn out to be? Judging by your answers, it looks like a
no though.




Of course you can name it; it's your tree! And it's an original.
Registering the name might be a different matter. (Wouldn't it be
embarrassing to register a new variety and have it be small, bitter, and
disease prone?

Best regards,
Bob

First of all, I agree with all the comments about difficulties in trying to
clone an apple
from it's seed. However, there is such a thing as a 'chance seedling', which is
a good
tasting apple that was found on a tree that was not grown from a grafted scion
(the only sure way of cloning an apple). A few of our best tasting apples were
discovered this way, some dating back many years. However, not to get your
hopes up, the probability of this happening is very small, so don't use this
fact to encourage
yourself to try experimenting and generally wasting your time.

Sherwin D.

dantheman50_98 wrote:

Hello All,
Does anybody know what percentage of apple seeds if
germinated, would stay true to their parent plant's variety?
I suppose it must vary from variety to variety. Would all of the seeds
become new types of apple in some cases?
I wonder if there is abook anywhere that goes into detail the whole
subject of species mutation and whatnot, even maybe listing apples that
will change their type and ones that won't
Cheers,
Daniel

--
dantheman50_98