Male Hops Wanted

[Bizier]

Hi,

I am interested in acquiring known variety male hop rhizomes or seeds from because I wish to start an ongoing (perhaps lifelong) hobby breeding program. I will be focusing on higher AA% and high oil varieties because of better performance under australian conditions.

If any home grower has a rhizome turn hermaph/male, I am very interested.

If anyone can provide me with any information, I will be highly appreciative.

Cheers
Dan

 

[white.grant]

I thought that hop plants reproduced asexually and produced both male and female flowers

 

[HoppingMad]

Hi Dan,

On the Hop Plantations 2008 thread two or 3 AHB'ers were taking cuttings from their existing crop to propogate. You don't need rhizomes or male plants necessarily - just thought I'd make you aware in case you didn't realise. I tried this and it works. You just take a healthy plant, cut a shoot off the end and put in a small container. Some people use some kind of rooting fertiliser to encourage growth. I haven't. Doing this is much the same as grape vine cuttings.

This could save you a bit of trouble. Otherwise if the males are what you're after you might want to contact a hop growers association - believe there's one in Tasmania, not sure if any brewers here would have a use for one.

Hopper.

 

[Leigh]

Taking cuttings will only clone what you already have, so not improve AA and oils. For that you need to breed and test, breed and test, breed and test...

Likewise breeding asexually doesn't introduce any new genetic material to make improvements...

It is a big task you have set yourself Bizier. The Vic grain labs have tens of thousands of plants growing at any one time, testing each one for the traits they are breeding for in the hope that just one has the combined traits!

 

[brettprevans]

this is interesting for me as im currently looking at a property in which i cant do much with about 4000sqm of the block (its a 6000sqm block) and thought maybe i should grow hops.

sorry bit of a thread hijack/deviation a I cant really help you bizer. although maybe Ellerslie Hops or similar hop grower might have some info or offer to sell you some hops from their breeding programs

 

[Bizier]

I want males for reproduction in order to try my hand at creating new Australian hop varieties. I have the female rhizome replication thing sorted.

I have contacted the professionals, but understandibly, they are not going to give me their secret breeding ammunition.

I am not going to invest a huge amount of time or resources. I am thinking I will basically raise an amount of seeds (noting the parents) until they flower and see if any variety is interesting, if so keep, if not turf. Repeat every year for the remainder of my life and I might have something before I die. That is the gist of my plan.

So if a homebrewer has a plant of a known variety turn male, I am interested.

ED: I am not expecting to produce the next Amarillo, and until I get something mind blowingly amazing, there is no commercial motivation.

 

[brettprevans]

the holy grail of hop/mj heads... hop crossed with MJ....

 

[Bizier]

the holy grail of hop/mj heads... hop crossed with MJ....

That is definitely not my aim. I have made my choice between the two, and there is plenty of information on how to successfully grow either with a huge degree of success. My holy grail is something along the lines of a Galaxy or thereabouts.

 

[brettprevans]

i was kidding man. another aussie hop is a noble (bad pun) venture. good luck

 

[HoppingMad]

MJ/Galaxy?

Now that would be something! :lol:

 

[brettprevans]

you'd get spaced alright (really really bad pun)

 

[Bizier]

 

[WildebeestAttack]

I've got a few seeds, but haven't got them up and going yet. If they do get going (I'll be planting them a bit later on in the year), I'll make sure to share some the male plants around (in return for a few of the experimental crosses down the track )

 

[Bizier]

Thank you WildebeestAttack, that is much appreciated.

I will definitely take you up on that. Do you know what mother (and possiby father) they are from?