[Syrupmakers] Mississippi Foundation Seed(sorghum)>>>sugarcane seed

Fri Feb 8 02:45:28 PST 2008

JT,
    I understand your reasoning. But, hypothetically, growing sugarcane from seed would be very expensive to even attempt. You would have to plant them in seedtrays to start them. They look like grass when they germinate! (They ARE grass). they would have be grown for perhaps a few months to a size which could be transplanted successfully-- be able to tell them from weeds. This is the way the USDA does it when starting new hybrids. I dont' think anyone would want to do it that way.
      Look in the MS Market Bulletin in the next month or 2. Someone should be advertising seedcane in MS, most likely. Also, you can contact the MS Syrupmakers and Processors. Andy Cochran(or other members) may be able to direct you to one of their members who has seedcane banked. I am also a member of the Association, but not very active in it. Email me off-forum and I can give you more info.
      I also have a few contacts in MS(who are not members of that Association) that I could ask(by phone) if you have no luck. I sold seedcane to a man in Jackson this past season. I also know several syrupmakers South and East of Jackson. One is in Sandersville, others further South.
                                                              Richard

DBACrownhoney at aol.com wrote:
      No I don't think I would have much luck at it. I was just think I would like to try to grow some from seed. I could order a few lbs. of seed a lot easier that driving a state or 2 away to get the varieties I want to try.

  JT

    In a message dated 2/7/2008 9:15:20 P.M. Central Standard Time, rharrison922 at yahoo.com writes:
    JT,
    Sorghum seed. Sugarcane rarely blooms North of Central Florida and its seeds are never used for commercial propagation. Hand pollinated sugarcane seeds are used by plant breeders in South Florida and now in LA to produce new varieties. They get about 1 new variety per 100,000 seeds or so. Want to try your luck?
                                     Richard

DBACrownhoney at aol.com wrote:
      Are talking about sugar cane or sorghum?

  JT

    In a message dated 2/7/2008 5:45:06 P.M. Central Standard Time, kharbin at nctv.com writes:
    Richard, 
  I'm still new at syrupmaking, 2008 being my 5th year.  Here's what I can say about saving seed...Being new, I don't get a whole lot of help in my syrupmaking.  I have a few that show up to help and spectate, but it's such a busy 2 or 3 weeks leading up to and then the actual syrupmaking.  That being said, by the time that Saturday is over, I just can't bring myself to gather up the heads and thresh them for seed.  It's easier for me to relax and just order some seed the next spring.  Plus the birds love scavenging the seed out of the pile of heads.  Plus, a 5 lb bag will last me at least 2 years.  I just throw what I don't use in the freezer.

  Kevin S. Harbin

---------------------------------
  From: syrupmakers-bounces at syrupmakers.net [mailto:syrupmakers-bounces at syrupmakers.net] On Behalf Of Richard Harrison
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 6:29 PM
To: syrupmakers at syrupmakers.net
Subject: Re: [Syrupmakers] Mississippi Foundation Seed

  Kevin,
     2 questions: (1) doesn't anyone save open-pollinated seed of these varieties?
                        (2) wouldn't open-pollinated seeds(assuming that only the same variety were being grown in the patch) be about as good as the foundation seed from MSU ? I mean genetically speaking and not necessarily quality or germination percentage. I know people that have saved Dale seed from seedheads for planting. I understand that the named varieties are selections rather than genetic hand-pollinated crosses.
                                                    Richard

Kevin Harbin <kharbin at nctv.com> wrote:
      Some may already know this, but I spoke to Randy at MSU Foundation Seed today to order this years seed.  He told me that for the month of February, they are selling only to people that have ordered from them in the past.  As of March 1, it will be first come/first served.  He said they have enormous requests from organizations interested in sweet sorghum for ethanol purposes, and they felt it was only fair to those of us that have ordered previously to give us first shot.  Kudos to them!!  Anyway, just thought I'd get this out there to anyone that might be waiting to order their seed for this year.  I got 5 lb of M81 non treated.  Going to give it a shot this year.  

  Kevin S. Harbin
  Seneca, SC 

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