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Black Male Caprifig "Cuervo Oscuro" Cuttings

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Originally Posted by Gardencrochet
Here is an update video of Cuervo Oscuro. Fig wasps 2017



Enjoy.


Thank you Karla for sharing such nice video of your Cuervo Oscuro.
As before, let me ask you if you can tell at what date this video was taken... and if before that, you managed to take pictures or video of insects leaving the fig. When investigating matters related to caprifigs , dates are of utmost importance.
These timings do have a lot to do with the receptiveness aspects when equating the ideal intervals for caprification..... particularly when planning pollination of more or less remote fruit.

The dryish fallen fruit shown on video,  seem  to be of the Profichi crop of that particular variety long after (2-3 weeks??.. more?..) the first wasps with fresh pollen left the caprifig and this will class the caprifig as early... 'average' or late emitting insects,  again another important parameter defining ideal timing for pollination .
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Hope you do not mind me showing this picture of a ripe profichi ...taken early morning of June 5th/2015.
By the relatively reduced amount of pollen chunks and grains spread around the eye , wasps clean/unload from their body-wings- antennae to ease their coming flight to the receptive figs... I may figure out that they first cross the fig eye,.. one, max two days before.. and this date,    3rd  or 4th of June marks a start of the 'good' period of a week/10days for the majority of insects inside that fig to keep flowing out with fresh,  fertile pollen for caprification.. as the fig slowly  dries an fall.
This particular caprifig I would class 'early' .
In this particular example, growers of Smyrnas , San Pedro main crop, others...will prepare and bring these first,  early caprifigs to their orchards.... and pick and prepare another supply of them approx 10 to 12 days after... this to warrant
effective pollination of the full caducous crops.
( behind this Profichi, there is an infant Mammoni ready and it will certainly be caprified as well )


P1070512.jpg 

Francisco
Portugal

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Quote:
Originally Posted by lampo


Thank you Karla for sharing such nice video of your Cuervo Oscuro.
As before, let me ask you if you can tell at what date this video was taken... and if before that, you managed to take pictures or video of insects leaving the fig. When investigating matters related to caprifigs , dates are of utmost importance.
These timings do have a lot to do with the receptiveness aspects when equating the ideal intervals for caprification..... particularly when planning pollination of more or less remote fruit.

The dryish fallen fruit shown on video,  seem  to be of the Profichi crop of that particular variety long after (2-3 weeks??.. more?..) the first wasps with fresh pollen left the caprifig and this will class the caprifig as early... 'average' or late emitting insects,  again another important parameter defining ideal timing for pollination .
----------------------------------
Hope you do not mind me showing this picture of a ripe profichi ...taken early morning of June 5th/2015.
By the relatively reduced amount of pollen chunks and grains spread around the eye , wasps clean/unload from their body-wings- antennae to ease their coming flight to the receptive figs... I may figure out that they first cross the fig eye,.. one, max two days before.. and this date,    3rd  or 4th of June marks a start of the 'good' period of a week/10days for the majority of insects inside that fig to keep flowing out with fresh,  fertile pollen for caprification.. as the fig slowly  dries an fall.
This particular caprifig I would class 'early' .
In this particular example, growers of Smyrnas , San Pedro main crop, others...will prepare and bring these first,  early caprifigs to their orchards.... and pick and prepare another supply of them approx 10 to 12 days after... this to warrant
effective pollination of the full caducous crops.
( behind this Profichi, there is an infant Mammoni ready and it will certainly be caprified as well )


P1070512.jpg 

Francisco
Portugal




Hello Francisco,

So glad that you like this recent video. We recorded these on July 10, 2017. We didn't take pictures only video. They where actually leaving the figs that day; that's what caught my attention. This variety is very prolific. It literally produces three crops in a year. The figs on the video where all taken off the tree itself. I can't imagine how the wasps survived these recent heat waves we've been having in California. Might be the reason why some of the figs look extremely dry. They weren't like this on previous years.

You are more than welcome to share the videos or pictures I've posted. Your research and knowledge is very valuable to all of us. Everyone needs to know the importance of the fig wasps in the fig world. I'm completely fascinated by these beautiful little creatures. You've answered many doubts and questions I've had. Thank you for sharing these facts.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tsparozi
Super video, Karla! Thank you for sharing! My CO cuttings rooted in an unbelievable fashion and literally were bursting out of the rooting bin starting at the end of the first week with roots spraying from each cutting and going off in every direction; never seen anything like it before or since


Same here.  Absolutely monster roots.  I moved most in 1 gallon pots and they are doing well.  One went straight from the cup to a 5 gallon squat pot and it is just over 5 feet tall now.  It was my only tip cutting and it is ramrod straight.  I am going to use the extras as grafting stock!  Super vigorous grower!

Dan
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Thank you Karla for yr comments.

Nice to hear your CO having 3 crops. This is the typical behavior of a good caprifig and most important, to perform season after season as this. Sometimes Nature decides to add one more crop (mammonies) if summers extend  for longer periods and this to provide shelter for the little insect as it comes out of the first crop of mammonies and the mammes are not yet there to lodge them .... still 'sleeping'

As we read and hear comments on ...' a particular non-edible caprifig crop to be persistent '. This seems to be impossible, Never seen it anywhere.. These Caprifigs , providing shelter and development of the wasp colonies are all caducous.

Persistent Caprifigs with more or less edible characteristics, are not at all associated with the insect.
Their breba crop shall be the source of fertile pollen for the eventual breeding process or just pure experimentations  like hand pollination of any other fig.

I hope that your CO plants are by now showing the mammoni crop (popping out from the axils of the leaves, just like any common summer fig. These fruit shall grow through summer/fall  with a generation of wasps inside and will probably show nice colors and a partially edible pulp... resulting from the pollination of some female flowers inside this fig.
It would be interesting for you follow development of these mammonies.
On certain seasons they have a good deal of female flowers together with galls giving the impression of a 'nice and juicy' edible fig altogether  ..But caution! it will also carry the wasps for later caprification of the winter crop (mammes)

Francisco
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