TOPIC: Ginseng - outcrossing with cultivated plants - 165% greater root mass

Hey Guys,

Could not go seng hunting today wife got called in to work today so I will be spending the day (later on) doing something with the kids.

Found a interesting article online this morning that I wanted to share with you growers.

TNhunter

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Effects of self-pollination and outcrossing with cultivated plants in small natural populations of American ginseng, Panax quinquefolius (Araliaceae)1
Emily H. Mooney and James B. McGraw
West Virginia University, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 6057, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506 USA


ABSTRACT

For rare plants, self-pollination and inbreeding can increase in small populations, while unusual levels of outcrossing can occur through restoration efforts. To study both inbreeding and outcrossing, we performed experimental pollinations using Panax quinquefolius (American ginseng), a wild-harvested plant with a mixed mating system.

For inbreeding, plants were either cross-pollinated within the population or self-pollinated, which resulted in a higher proportion of seeds from self-pollinated flowers.

For outcrossing, wild plants were either cross-pollinated within the population or with cultivated plants from West Virginia or Wisconsin.

Offspring of all crosses were followed for 4 yr.

Two-yr-old seedlings from self-pollination had 45% smaller leaf areas and 33% smaller heights relative to those from cross-pollination. Leaf area is a positive predictor of longer-term survival in wild populations.

Our results suggest inbreeding depression, which is unexpected in this self-fertile species.

Seedlings from crosses with cultivated plants had 127% greater leaf area and 165% greater root biomass relative to outcrosses within the population.

The accelerated growth suggests genetic differences between wild and cultivated populations, but outbreeding depression may not appear until later generations. Assessment of the ultimate fitness consequences of introducing cultivated genotypes requires monitoring over longer time periods.

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In my seed producing bed (just started this year) I have included 23 roots from decent sized 3 prongs and 1 nice little 4 prong from the area right near my home. I also have about 6 nice roots from a different area in the same county but 20 miles or so away from my home location. I am also getting a few nice mountain roots from Billy to include in the seed bed.

I really just had a gut feeling that mixing roots/plants from different areas might help things out. The article above sure seems to suggest that.

Anyone know how to force (do manual) cross-pollination with Ginseng ?

As I understand it the Ginseng flower has both mail/female parts and can self-pollinate.

I suppose if you had a Big Old Mountain plant in your seed bed and it was in full bloom at the same time as the other plants then you could break off the mountain seng flower spike and brush it onto the flowers of the other seng plants ?

Is that how you do manual/cross-pollination ?

I am sure going to check into that.

TNhunter

More info:

I found this on cross-pollination:

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Once your plants are producing pollen you need to transfer the pollen from the stamen of one plant to the carpel of the other. Gently collect the pollen into a paper cup or glass and apply it to the carpel of the other plant with the cotton swabs. You are acting as honey bee.
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I suppose you could just put a paper cup under the flower spike of one plant and tap it a bit to bump the pollen off into the cup, then use something like a q-tip to collect it and brush it onto the flower spikes of other plants.

Or you could take a q-tip and brush it on the flower spike of one plant to collect the pollen - then transfer it to another plants flower spike by brushing it onto the flowers of the other plant.

If any of you guys have any real experience with this - let me know what you have found that works best.

Thanks

TNhunter

TNhunter

I do not have experience in cross pollenating ginseng, but I do have some experience in cross pollenating other plants.

Sounds like you have the right idea.

And yes Ginseng can self pollenate. Good thing for those plants growing by themselves after someone has harvested all the others.

A ginseng spike has many flowers. Up to as many as 50 or so. Each of those flowers need to be pollenated in order to develope into a berry.

I do believe that you will create better genetics from cross pollenating.

The problem I think you will have, is collecting enough of the pollen. Each flower on the spike is small and will not have much pollen in it. And once the first flower opens on a spike, the pollen needs to be collected before a big wind blows it off or before some animal or bird knocks the pollen to the ground or onto the leaves below. The pollen from one spike will be available in progression from the first flower opening until the last flower opens.

I would suggest that once you notice the first flower opening, is to bend the spike over a small cup and give it a few taps to drop the pollen into the cup. and do that every day until the flowers have all opened up on the spike and there is no more pollen to collect.

The pollen from one plant is enough to pollenate more than 100 plants if you allowed nature to do it.

I believe by doing it yourself by dusting the pollen on to the flower spike, you may have enough to pollenate a few plants from one spike.

If you use a q-tip, you will try to apply pollen from what you have collected to each individual flower carpel. A tedious job.

I have used both(dusting and Q-tip) methods on various flowers and Orchids.

I believe that each flower you pollenate will have some genetic change in the seeds it prodces from that flower. Especially if you use the pollen from those huge plants you got from Billy.

Tnhunter

I realy enjoyed reading this t/f/sharing that.

TNhunter
Great Info thanks,
Latt