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Sweet Oronoko

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FmGrowit

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Yep, it looks like it's spelled wrong, but that's what is on the seed package. The best I can figure, this packaging is from the 1880's

sweet oronoko pack.JPG

There is no date on the pack, but the typeset used by this company (Wm Henry Maule) changed many times throughout the companies history.

maule 1887.jpgMaule 1890's.jpg Maule 1900's.jpg Maule late 00's.jpg

There is very little information on this variety, but here's some computer interpreted scanned text. A lot of gibberish, but there are some good areas. W is translated with Av, some of the stuff, I have no clue. Do a text search for Oronoko though.

I'm going to try to bring the last few remaining seeds out of dormancy. This should be fun if it works. If anyone knows any tricks to getting 130 year old seeds to come to life, let me know.
 

FmGrowit

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I have about 20,000 - 30,000 seeds...I was just suggesting there might be a few left to resurrect. I remember reading something about paper infused with some kind of smoke to bring seeds out of dormancy.

Does than ring a bell with anyone?

Bob, I think that's the stuff someone recommended on HTGT for germinating old seeds. Thanks for the link.
 

Jitterbugdude

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If anyone knows any tricks to getting 130 year old seeds to come to life, let me know.

You might seriously try contacting someone at the Smithsonian Institute. I read (in the past) where they frequently come upon a situation like this. My only idea would be to add a tiny bit of gibberillic acid and soak the seeds in it.


never mind.. I just glossed over the article BB posted, looks like that has everything covered :confused:
 

FmGrowit

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Can anyone tell me what language this is?

The laboratory strains Columbia (Col) and Landsberg erecta (Ler) have low dormancy, whereas the Cape Verde Island (Cvi) and C24 accessions have deep dormancy. Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) / near isogenic lines (NILs) between Cvi and Ler were used in a quantitative trait loci (QTL) approach (Alonso-Blanco et al. 2003) and identified several loci, named "Delay Of Germination 1 to 12" (DOG1 to DOG12), that determine Arabidopsis seed dormancy. DOG1, for which the Cvi allele increased the level of seed dormancy, explains 12% of the variance observed in seed dormancy in these RIL population. The DOG1 gene has been cloned and is a member of a small gene family of unknown molecular function (Bentsink et al. 2006). The functional allelic variation present in Arabidopsis is caused by polymorphisms in the cis-regulatory region of the DOG1 gene resulting in considerable expression differences between DOG1 allels of the accessions analyzed. Alternative splicing leading to DOG1 proteins that differ in the C-terminal domain also appears to be important for dormancy. Further details on Arabidopsis dormancy genes: Website of the group of Wim Soppe (Department of Maarten Koornneef, MPI for Plant Breeding Research, Köln, Germany).

I think I'll seek some professional help. I ordered the acid, so with a little luck, maybe I can get the White Burley to germinate too.
 

FmGrowit

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Some very interesting information from Bob's link.

From http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/GibberellicAcid.htm

OTHER AREAS FOR RESEARCH
Potassium nitrate (KNO3) is often used to stimulate germination of dormant or irregular seeds. It can replace the light requirement of some pines. The seeds are soaked in a 1000 to 3000ppm solution (1 - 3 grams per liter), or are germinated on pads soaked in this solution. Concentration is not crucial, so 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per quart is fine. It is about 6 grams per teaspoon. In our tests, some seeds which normally give seedlings over 3 months have all come up in a month with KNO3.

Hydrogen peroxide stimulates many species. Seeds are soaked in a 1 - 3% solution for 5 minutes to 48 hours for hard seeds. We have had very good results.

Presoaking seeds in malt extract solution or in beer may increase germination and vigor, especially of old seeds, due to enzyme enrichment. Higher resistance to damping off and higher yields have been reported. Other sources of enzymes include digestive aids (bromelain, papain, etc, available at health food stores), enzyme cleaners for contact lenses, and enzyme drain-cleaning products.

Citric acid is available in the canning section of the grocery, and has been used at 1000ppm to stimulate the germination of some species.

Sodium hypochlorite (household bleach) has been used in a 1% solution for a one-hour presoak to stimulate germination of some species. Mix one part bleach with 4 1/4 parts water for a 1% solution. A ten minute soak in one part bleach plus one part water is an FDA approved seed disinfectant.

Smoke and charred-wood leachate (water in which charred wood has been soaked) may stimulate germination of plants from fire-prone habitats with hot, dry summers, such as the Mediterranean, California, South Africa and Australia. For a list of genera that have responded to smoke treatment, click here: Smoke Genera.

GA-3 is sometimes used in very low concentrations, from 1 ppm to 150 ppm, to promote the germination of non-dormant seeds such as rice.

Combined treatments such as KNO3 plus GA-3, or hydrogen peroxide plus GA-3 have given higher germination than either treatment alone. Testing these substances in various combinations is enough for a lifetime of interesting research!

 

FmGrowit

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Interesting book from 1880.

From; TOBACCO, FROM THE SEED TO THE SALESROOM. BY ROBERT L. RAGLAND, HALIFAX COUNTY, VA. [Copyright Secured According to Law.] RICHMOND: Wm. Ellis Jones, Steam Book & Job Printer. 1880

A careful, sensible man will select those varieties which experience has demonstrated will best produce the grades for which his soil and climate are best suited. We recommend for the dark, heavy shipping grades, the Long Green, Big Frederick, Bull Face and Medley Pryor, with a preference for the latter where a rich black leaf is wanted. For a desirable cutting grade and heavy "drinker," i. e., a porous leaf that will absorb much manufacturing material, we recommend the White Burley. For mahogany wrappers and sweet fillers, there is nothing that excels Sweet Oronoko. For bright wrappers, Yellow Oronoko, Yellow Pryor, UWhite Stem and Gooch, each has preference according to locality and fancy.

Here's the whole book
 

FmGrowit

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Progress report on the germination attempt


After 36 hours of seeds being placed on a moistened paper towel, then sealed into a plastic bag, nearly all of the seeds have stood up on end. This is very encouraging, but I've seen this before with some old White Burley and none of the seeds germinated. The test seeds are being kept at a constant 85°.
 

BarG

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Interesting book from 1880.

From; TOBACCO, FROM THE SEED TO THE SALESROOM. BY ROBERT L. RAGLAND, HALIFAX COUNTY, VA. [Copyright Secured According to Law.] RICHMOND: Wm. Ellis Jones, Steam Book & Job Printer. 1880

A careful, sensible man will select those varieties which experience has demonstrated will best produce the grades for which his soil and climate are best suited. We recommend for the dark, heavy shipping grades, the Long Green, Big Frederick, Bull Face and Medley Pryor, with a preference for the latter where a rich black leaf is wanted. For a desirable cutting grade and heavy "drinker," i. e., a porous leaf that will absorb much manufacturing material, we recommend the White Burley. For mahogany wrappers and sweet fillers, there is nothing that excels Sweet Oronoko. For bright wrappers, Yellow Oronoko, Yellow Pryor, UWhite Stem and Gooch, each has preference according to locality and fancy.

Here's the whole book

Thanks FmGrowit, will be some nice reading, I want to take my time to digest so added on my favorites for easy access.
 
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Daniel

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jitterbug, I heard, from a reliable source, that one lives in a cave next to Bigfoot. It is commonly thought he has retained all reasoning ability due to the lack of never having been subjected to women.
I'm ducking now.
 

SmokesAhoy

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Haha

jitterbug, I heard, from a reliable source, that one lives in a cave next to Bigfoot. It is commonly thought he has retained all reasoning ability due to the lack of never having been subjected to women.
I'm ducking now.
 

FmGrowit

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All attempts at germination have failed. The only thing I was able to grow from the seeds was mold. If anyone knows of a professional seed germinator (I just made up that occupation) where these seeds can be sent, please let me know. There has to be some University (probably Ohio State, duh...thinking as I write) that can resurrect these seeds.
 

deluxestogie

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I still have 3 trials of the Sweet Oronoko and Big White Burley going.
  1. Several weeks in the freezer, then light and GA-3, then incubate.
  2. Rehydrated, sun exposure, then incubate
  3. GA-3 + light, then incubate
I examine them twice a day.

For now, I plan one additional trial of a presoak, light and incubation with somewhat lower temperatures.

Even one seed of either batch showing some sign of life would prompt continued efforts. I haven't given up hope. Growing the Sweet Oronoko would represent the genuine resurrection of an extinct variety. (Maybe I should try germinating them in a bed of mummy dust.)

Bob
 

pastorj

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I hope you guys come up with something that works... What an awesome thing it would be to get one of these plants up and running. To think it hasn't been around for almost two centuries and you could get it to come back from extinction. I am looking forward to hearing a favorable report on this one.
 

Tom_in_TN

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Even one seed of either batch showing some sign of life would prompt continued efforts. I haven't given up hope. Growing the Sweet Oronoko would represent the genuine resurrection of an extinct variety. (Maybe I should try germinating them in a bed of mummy dust.)

Bob
We're all hoping you succeed on getting at least a few seeds to germinate. Sounds like an awesome variety.

Got some FREE seed, Cherry Red Free!!! Instructions were the last grower did not get the seed to germinate. So, keeping a close watch on the seed started tonight.
 
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