Hop breeding

[Mark]

Just something I've been thinking about, renting an allotment and growing up some hops on a slightly larger scale than one or two plants in the back garden. Possibly with a view to then breeding some new varieties.

Anyone interested?

[Tom]

I'd certainly follow it with interest, but developing a new variety can take years, and hundreds of thousands of seedlings. You might get lucky with a sport shoot, though! I do really find this port of thin fascinating. If you want a male I can give you one, but don't tell anyone I did! Also you won't be very popular with your hop growing neighbours. Food for thought.

[Mark]

I was thinking about it more from an interest and educational point of view rather than expecting to create the next new hipster hop. I haven't looked into breeding in any great detail but I was figuring there must be a way to do it without having a male growing outdoors.

[Tom]

Well, the way the pros do it is to grow a male, and once you see the sexy bits remove all but one or two, and cover those in a paper bag, then a plastic bag (to waterproof it). Then you are isolating the pollen and can fertilize selected hop cones. Remember which cones you fertilized and leave them to mature on the bine until the seeds are ready, then cold store until spring and sow. Voila, new plants.

I got a load of Fuggle-parent seeds from Meantime Brewing last year, and am sort of half-arsed doing the same up here. Just waiting to see what is what.

The danger is you'll grow a hop susceptible to wilt, then accidently introduce it to the rest of your hop garden. You need to be ruthless in this respect.

I'll have a look through my 'favourites' to see if I can find some old links and I'll post them, as soon I'm not up to my elbows in plumbing, and after the rugby!

[Tom]

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f92/growing-hops-seed-397219/