Keeping the Plants Alive

[Timothy Mulligan]

On the couple of acres we lease in Brookhaven, a researcher found a one and only plant from the large screen that she planted. We always plant the important nursery fields first here at Uplands and then try to extend the season so on the back end of the growing season we tried to sneak in another field at Brookhaven. The researchers don't need to do crosses on it they just need to see the phenotypes. So, she planted it very late, it did not get in till after the fourth of July because of the weather. By the time she found the plant she needed there was not enough time to do a normal cross and let it sit out there for 45 days so there was a debate as to whether we should transplant the plant or build a greenhouse around it and the end result was it did not work. I think they transplanted it into a pot and moved it into a greenhouse and they interrupted the growth cycle in the process and the pollen did not come at the right time for the silks so she got the plant she wanted but she could not see it come to fruition.