My KBS doesn't look ANYTHING like Kristi's. Mine has hairy leaves, not serrated on the edges and has a grayish cast to the leaves. It's one that Monika identified as KBS last year. I'm confused.
KBS
I need glasses and Missed that one post. I am confused too ???
Thanks Cala, because I think we have the same brug and I was thinking my mind was playing tricks on me. I became confused when Kristi said her's was a sport and I don't understand how a sport can be KBS. It is probably written above, but I'm too tired to comprehend anything tonight. Thanks for the pictures Tonny. Yours looks remarkably like mine. :-)
A sport mutated the normal, natural way, always has the same genes as the original.
A "sport" is a naturally occuring genetic mutation that happens on one part/branch of a plant. It can happen in several ways. The DNA of a plant(or human or any living thing) is in chains like ladders. It is like a chain of three letter words composed from a four letter alphabet. By deletion: one of the letters is left out thus changing the whole strand of DNA.
By addition of a letter, also changes the whole strand.
By substitution of a letter which has no effect on the following parts of the strand.
By Transposon, where a chunk of DNA gets moved from one part of the strand to another. Even though no new genetic material is added or subtracted, the chain is now different. All the same genetic material is there but not in the same order any longer.
The first mutation can revert back to the original, or can mutate further and be something else. It happens in mums, hosta and coleus all the time. That's how they get new varieties.
In the case of KBS, the genetic code must be the same as all four known 'sports' refused to set on pods. But they did with other pollinators.
Mutations may also be caused by so-called MLOs, sometimes Virus does it.
Its interesting to know that Maya lost its variegation after being raised through invitro.
Monika, invitro causes lots of plants to "sport" or revert. I know Mike at Q and Z hosta has a hard time with certain varieties and some others who grow ears have a bear of a time with reverting invitro or uneven color and odd looking plants. The more a cell is forced to divide, the more of a chance there is for it to "sport" which can also be good if one is trying to get something different.
Lots of dwarf conifers were caused by insect bites making something we call a "Witch's Broom" growth on the tip of a branch. Cuttings were taken of these mutants and grown into the plants we know now(and pay a lot of money for sometimes). Radiation is another common cause of mutations.
Susie, its interesting to see what nature can do. Its probably part of the evolution. I think I used the wrong word with invitro. I meant tissue propagation (its done to eliminate virus and diseases).
Monika, tissue culture is also called "invitro" here, I knew what you meant. When my professor friend is talking about tissue culture, he calls it "invitro".
Meristem cultivation is another word. Here I am lacking the correct english word. The tissue is exposed to heat up to 70°C to eliminate virus, fungi and bacterial diseases.
The DNA in the cells is not changed. Its complicated to explain, hope you understand what I meant Susie LOL!
Monika, yes, I know what you meant. I too have trouble explaining what I'm talking about and I do understand English, lol. When I was talking with a tissue culture lab about doing some of my plants, they explained how they do the meristem culture to remove viruses(or just in case the plant might have a virus they do this too).
I am glad LOL!