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ForeverFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #51 
@ Bronx Figs...Frank, back during the winter I purchased 2 small tissue culture 'Ischia Blue' trees(probably Ischia Black) on line...they had the same thin branches that you talk about in your previous post...but now 4 months later they, they have doubled in size and are filling out nicely with three main trunks on each tree and lots of leaves...a close inspection of the leaves shows no sign of FMV(yet), and I'm hoping that they remain clear of the virus as they mature...the funny thing about the purchase was that I originally paid $6.00 and change for one tree, but when it arrived I found that there were two root balls in the same little 4" pot...so after separating them, I now have two healthy Ischia Blue fig trees for a little over $3.00 each.
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Vince
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Posted Reply with quote  #52 
Vince...

Good for you.  Bargains, and free, are always the best!  Even at $6.00 p/tree it's still worth it.   These tissue cultured plants are probably transplanted as tiny clumps of cells, into plug-trays, and then grown on to the selling stage.  Hope your trees live long and prosper.   You too.

I am very happy with the trees that Florida Hill sent to me.  I am hoping for some great things from my "Black Mission" trees in the coming seasons.  It's almost impossible to find FMV-free "Blk. Mission"...but, I think I may have done just that.  Not a spot on any of the leaves, and they are healthy and vigorous.  I'll bet by the end of this season they will be 5 ft. tall with at least 3/4" main-stems.  Not too shabby for trees originally shipped with 1/8" thick stems!  I definitely would order again from this nursery.

I wish they would start tissue-culturing some other, more sought after varieties instead of "Brown Turkey" and "Celeste"...both very commonly found, and both could be problematic re: no taste, and dropping figs.  Too bad organizations like UC Davis doesn't use these techniques instead of sending out contaminated wood.

Keep us posted on the "Blue Ischia".


Frank
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ForeverFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #53 
Thanks Frank...when I pulled the trees out of the 4" pot I was expecting to find traditional root balls...what I found were two gauze type sacks about the size of a large pecan nut with these skinny little branches coming out of the them...I had never seen a tissue culture plant before, and I wasn't even sure what it was...so I just put them into 1gal. pots and they took off from there...best of luck with all your Black Mission trees, and have a great Summer.
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Gina

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Posted Reply with quote  #54 
Quote:
Too bad organizations like UC Davis doesn't use these techniques instead of sending out contaminated wood.


Because someone would have to pay the bills for doing it. In addition, since UC Davis (edit: or however you want to refer to the cutting source) is in California, any supposed virus free tree would soon be contaminated from the thousands and thousands of infected trees growing in the state. Besides, with tissue culture, there is no garauntee of success.

The virus did not just spring from nowhere overnight. Figs and FMV evolved together in Mediterranean regions, and likely was spread in ancient times with cuttings and of course mites. Many believe all figs have it to some degree, but that at times it is not evident due to care or environment, or particular varieties are less prone to showing symptoms.

I think a big part of the problem in spreading more serious FMV (more than one strain) comes from large collections in warmer climates where multiple strains of the virus can infect the same tree. I've never gotten anything from UC Davis directly, but I do have a couple Celeste trees (cuttings from Jon, originally from ?) that are the most pathetic, gnarrled things. It would not be a surprise if it had several strains of virus - or it could just be a particularly susceptible variety. If you get cuttings from any collector in California or other warmer climes, expect the worst. Especially if they too are growing trees form UC Davis, or perhaps are doing any grafting.
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BronxFigs

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Posted Reply with quote  #55 
Thanks Gina....

Just wishful thinking on my part.  Now, I know the rest of the story.  Reality bites.


Frank
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HarveyC

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Posted Reply with quote  #56 
UC Davis doesn't have any fig trees.  If the USDA repository were to clean up their entire collection they would all need to be grown in screenhouses to maintain them as FMV free.

I don't know if Florida Hills Nursery is selling FMV free trees or not but I'd be skeptical of any nursery doing this on a relatively small scale like they are doing as it is quite costly.  They seem to dabble in a little bit of every thing.  Duarte Nursery works with millions of each of the lines they normally sell and are just starting in figs but I'd imagine they are still looking at selling at least 10,000 of each to recoup their costs and make a profit.
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Gina

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Posted Reply with quote  #57 
Quote:
UC Davis doesn't have any fig trees. If the USDA repository ...


Yes, of course. But UC Davis is both easier to type and remember - and most people know what is meant. ;)
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garden_whisperer

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Posted Reply with quote  #58 
Some one was talking about figs in cooler climates showing way less to no fmv signs. Maybe the cold kills off the fmv in the exposed limbs. I have noticed no signs of fmv until around aug-sep. My theroy is that the cold does slow down or kill the fmv but still lives in the roots and works its way back up. So if this is the case then it would make sence why you would want to culture freash shoots but still think it would be a waste of time other than mass propagation.
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Dave Zone 6b Illinois

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Posted Reply with quote  #59 
I believe that most of those mail order nurseries are getting their plants and figs from Agristart. They are wholesalers and actually produce tissue cultured starts and sell wholesale lots (figs were $1.50 each last year), this was discussed last year in another tissue culture topic. I have purchased several different tissue cultured fig cultivars (all that are listed at Agristart) and have posted positively about them in the past. I am hopeful that my Blue Ischia in not the Ischia listed at agristart (I already had one).

Dave (garden_whisperer), ... Herman2 had posted on his observations...
I have also read past post about suckers having healthier growth and appearance than their mother trees. This observation seems to be true for my Violet De Bordeaux from EL. Attached pictures are of the mother tree showing FMD in leaves and of the sucker that was separated this past winter. The sucker had normal leaves last year and has not shown any visible signs of FMD on its leaves this year. This may possibly be another way of producing healthier plants! This observation and Herman2's observation are actually complimentary. In colder zones the plants may die back in cold winters and re-grow shoots (suckers) from below soil line in spring.

VDB mother tree 6/23/2013... note deformed and mottled leaves, typical for 50% of total leaves.
Inline imageVDB sucker 9/30/2012 with the start of leaf rust. Figs were pinched because they would not have had time to mature.
Inline imageVDB sucker 6/22/2013
Inline image

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jpeg VDB_Mother_6-23-13.jpg (239.25 KB, 108 views)
Dieseler

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Posted Reply with quote  #60 
Dave hear where our stored trees see temps in the teens grown in pots Fmv shows the same the following year .
I have seen it wane though as plant matures but always there .
garden_whisperer

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Posted Reply with quote  #61 
well Martin i guess that shoots that theroy full of holes then. i wonder why my plants only show fmv in late summer and fall just before going dormant.
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Dave Zone 6b Illinois

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Posted Reply with quote  #62 
Not sure take my VdB for example mine shows it during early season as summer marches along it wanes.
I would not see it as shooting a hole in anyones theory its just folks observe different things going on in own yard in there location and may not being the norm in anothers yard.  ; )
garden_whisperer

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Posted Reply with quote  #63 
Yes Martin I understand that. Just observing the fact that your yard and mine are only a few hours apart. Your winters being cooler than mine. So if my theroy were correct then you should observe close to what I have or even better results. Unless if all of you figs are potted and in a controlled temp over winter.
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Dave Zone 6b Illinois

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Figinfever

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Posted Reply with quote  #64 
Bump. Has anyone tried home tissue culture of fig trees successfully and any suggestions from the home lab? It sounds interesting.
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Dan, West Central FL 9a

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