A friend told me that if you plant an apple seed it can grow into any type (or new type) of apple tree. The only way to grow a specific type of apple is to take a clipping from that specific tree and grow it from that rather than a seed. Is this true?
2006-11-17 23:41:04 · 18 answers · asked by djalice 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Well I would say yes, it could grow into a different type of apple tree, though I wouldn't say 'any type'! But if your apple blossom is being pollinated by bees, then who's to say where that bee has been before it pollinated the flower? If pollen from a different type of apple tree fertilises your apple tree flower and then you plant that seed, then the tree that grows from the seed will only carry 50% of it's genes from your tree... (and 50% from the other tree which the pollen came from) and will thus probably form a slightly different apple variety as well. Even if your plant self-fertilises, the offspring will be slightly genetically different depending on which 50% of the tree's genes are in the grain of pollen and which 50% are in the egg which get together to form the seed you plant... so the only way to be absolutely positive that a new tree will be 100% genetically identical to the original tree is to grow it from a cutting.
2006-11-18 10:34:57 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Plants, like humans, take two to make a baby - I'm sure you know that insects (eg. bees) pollinate apple flowers. The genes from both trees combine, just like they do in humans, to make a new unique individual. If that pollen comes from 2 different varieties then you will get a new variety of apple. But if it comes from the same variety, although the result is a new individual tree, it's fruit will probably be similar enough to be classed as the same variety.
When you take a clipping of a plant you are basically cloning it. The genes in the new plant will be identical to the genes of the parent. Scientists don't even consider this to be a new individual plant, but just call all genetically identical individual plants a genet (instead of an individual). It will definitely grow the same variety of fruit as its parent because its varitey depends on its genes.
Because pollinating insects usually travel large areas, unless you are sure that there's no other apple trees of a different variety near by, then taking a clipping is probably the best way to ensure that the baby tree grows the same variety of apples as its parents do.
2006-11-20 23:26:14 · answer #2 · answered by Cathy :) 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your friend is indeed correct !!
This was recently stated on the BBC series to do with trees that was on BBC 2 on a friday evening.
If you wanted say a granny smith apple tree you would have to grow it from a cutting of another granny smith tree, if you was to grow it from a seed it will not taste the same as a granny smith, so it would be a different type.
2006-11-19 11:14:03 · answer #3 · answered by Laser 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its called Grafting ......Young, vigorous fruit trees up to 5 years old are best for top working. Older apple and pear trees of almost any age can be top worked but the operation is more severe and those over 10 years old must be worked at a higher point. Young trees should have 1 to 2 feet of branch between the trunk and the graft. Otherwise the good crotch formation of the understock will be lost by the trunk expanding past the union. Trees up to 5 years old can be grafted at one time. On older trees about half--the upper and center part only--should be worked at one time. The remainder should be worked a year later.
2006-11-17 23:45:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Not that i know, i think to grow a different type of apple than the one the seed came from, youi have to doo what da bees do, like mix the pollen or somethin, i don't grow apples, i grow oranges. and they're just all orange. good for juice.
2006-11-19 07:42:47 · answer #5 · answered by Shayde 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most fruit and vegtables are planted with hybrid seeds. which means they are made by mixing the best trates from different types of apples (these are made in a lab). If you plant a seed from a hybrid plant it will only grow one style in the seed mix thus changing the type of apple.
GOOD QUESTION
2006-11-17 23:52:17 · answer #6 · answered by Kid 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
depends on if the original that the seed came from is a hybrid or not.
if it isn't, it will be the same type as the aprent.
if the parent is a hybrid, it starts to lose many of the charactaristics of the hybridization if grown from seed.
if the parent is indeed a hybrid, the only way to preserve the same charactaristics is to clone it by rooting a cutting, or by grafting.
so your friend isn't entirely right, nor is he entirely wrong.
2006-11-19 16:42:44 · answer #7 · answered by qncyguy21 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The tree if it grows at all will probably be weak. Apple trees are in two parts - the root stock which is strong rooted and the fruit stock, which is grafted to the root stock to produce good fruit.
2006-11-17 23:45:23 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
The only way that an apple would grow differently from the original if it was cross pollenated by an insect or bee or by human.
2006-11-17 23:59:28 · answer #9 · answered by blushingivy 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
most fruit tree pips or seeds do not throw true,
2006-11-17 23:55:52 · answer #10 · answered by DEREK D 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋