[bogdan]

Per,
In my opinion, the germination is not an issue at the seeds come from the hybrids.
The real issue is vitality and production potential of the seed with hybrid origins (seeds harvest from hybrid plants). In this case, the seeds have almost same germination like heirloom seeds, but the production potential is at alf at least.
One of the concludent experiment is with corn. The results are obtain growing the one hybrid and heirloom corn for same crop conditions:
- heirloom seeds (S) of corn, regular production ~6000 kg/hectar(10000sqmeters, about 2.5 acres)
- parent seeds (P, seeds from witch is made hybrid seeds) ~2500 kg/hectar
- hybrid seeds (H) ~13000 kg/hectar
- seeds obtain by saving seeds from first crop of hybrid seeds (H2) ~5000 kg/hectar
- seeds obtain by saving seeds from previous line (H3) ~3000 kg/hectar

The conclusion is symple. If you have the posibility to procure hybrid seeds, this seed have the best potential. If you don't have this posibility, better use heirloom seeds, than to use seeds with hybrid origins.

Now, it is somehow easy to make your hybrids (i saw a man who somehow make a empiric selection and have own "hybrids", with very good production potential) but for most of the crops you must have a very good field isolation. Also, if you want to preserve for more generation the potential of heirloom seeds you need a isolation area. And, take out from the field the plants with poor potential.

Now, one of the best plants for heirloom seeds is wheat (with all the relatives). Also, good results have soya (also bean, pea and relatives), cucumber, tomatoes (very carefuly with isolation space here), cabbage, salad, carrot, cress.

But, if you don't know how to save seeds from potatoes, better you don't try.

Bogdan
PS When the world will be finish, my principal barter item will be seeds. The best seeds in the area

 

[bogdan]

Per,
I will answer as much i know on all the questions regareding seeds production.
1) The seeds production will be stabilize arround 2500-3000 kg/hectar. This limit will be exceeded if you will introduce in the field some other seeds, to make a new "hybrid", but when you will stop to introduce new genetics in the fiels, the production will drop. Don't forghet, the minimum limit of 2500 kg/hectar is made on one consanguineous line.
2) I study only corn and sunflower (as a part of my job, once...). I saw also on my garden a huge drop of harvest on hybrid tomatoes. When i speak with some of my colegues, they say me the harvest drop is present (more or less) on each hybrid crop.
3) I will post an articole in one of the days. As a principle, you combine 2 or more genetic lines. But, to make this lines to be stable, it is a long story. Also, to preserve the lines specific features.
4) Yes, the field isolation is the distance between your field and the nearest field with the same crop, or related (as an example, the sugar corn, reular corn and popcorn are in the same family and they are genetic compatible). This distance is different from crop to crop, from sunflower with 3000 meters recomended, to wheat with 50 cm accepted. Also, they are a lot of tips to decrease this distances (forest curtains, more father plants in the part with same crop, some dedicated isolation crops, the way of how to put in the field the bees hives).
Please, feel free to put me all the questions you have. It is possible to forghet some things...

 

[bogdan]

All,
I try to make a short note about hybridization, but i found here what i want to say.
http://edugreen.teri.res.in/explore/bio/breed.htm

Per,
To make you own hybrids is not a hard work. Simply select the plants you want to keep (the plants hight, or small, or drought resistant, etc), save seed from them and plant this seeds in the same field. if you combine the seeds from 2 or more field or from different sources, the results are better. But dont forghet something; in the first season, you select the plants, in the second season you obtain hybrid seeds who will produce in the third season.
As for me, i have a huge luck. I has acces on the obsolete genetic lines of one of the biggest seeds producer and save some of them (i know also how to maintain these lines). Now, i can produce my own hybrids, when i need. This hybrids don't produce so much as modern hybrids, but produce more than heirloom seeds.

Bogdan