Dr Darren Abbey
@thebiologistisn.bsky.social
@thebiologistisn on various other systems. PhD Genetics, UMN.
I do bioinformatics/genomics with a university lab.
I work unofficially to make new interesting varieties of food plants. I've made distinctly blue colored dry beans.
I make/sell art, too.
I do bioinformatics/genomics with a university lab.
I work unofficially to make new interesting varieties of food plants. I've made distinctly blue colored dry beans.
I make/sell art, too.
Here's another colorful bin!
November 7, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Here's another colorful bin!
Almost the full harvest from my runner bean (ayacote, Phaseolus coccineus) project.
I still have a small number of pods that are resting a bit more before shelling. Once these have all dried a bit more, I'll sort them out by color.
I still have a small number of pods that are resting a bit more before shelling. Once these have all dried a bit more, I'll sort them out by color.
November 7, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Almost the full harvest from my runner bean (ayacote, Phaseolus coccineus) project.
I still have a small number of pods that are resting a bit more before shelling. Once these have all dried a bit more, I'll sort them out by color.
I still have a small number of pods that are resting a bit more before shelling. Once these have all dried a bit more, I'll sort them out by color.
My F2 runner bean population seems to be producing six color classes. I still have many pods left to process as they dry before I can estimate the ratios of the different seed colors needed to estimate the genetics ratios.
November 2, 2025 at 6:16 AM
My F2 runner bean population seems to be producing six color classes. I still have many pods left to process as they dry before I can estimate the ratios of the different seed colors needed to estimate the genetics ratios.
The real shame is that all the colors go to shades of brown when they're cooked.
But, until then, they can be a real joy. Here's some blue common beans from my first bean project mixed with two lima bean varieties I'm trying to cross to help me get to a blue lima.
But, until then, they can be a real joy. Here's some blue common beans from my first bean project mixed with two lima bean varieties I'm trying to cross to help me get to a blue lima.
November 2, 2025 at 7:13 AM
The real shame is that all the colors go to shades of brown when they're cooked.
But, until then, they can be a real joy. Here's some blue common beans from my first bean project mixed with two lima bean varieties I'm trying to cross to help me get to a blue lima.
But, until then, they can be a real joy. Here's some blue common beans from my first bean project mixed with two lima bean varieties I'm trying to cross to help me get to a blue lima.
The parents of those seedlings are "Hello Darkness" and "Thornbird".
October 31, 2025 at 12:28 AM
The parents of those seedlings are "Hello Darkness" and "Thornbird".
All twelve of my iris seedlings made it to the end of the season. Here they're about to get planted into the garden for winter.
I don't expect any blooms for another couple of years.
I don't expect any blooms for another couple of years.
October 31, 2025 at 12:26 AM
All twelve of my iris seedlings made it to the end of the season. Here they're about to get planted into the garden for winter.
I don't expect any blooms for another couple of years.
I don't expect any blooms for another couple of years.
My runner bean (ayacotes, Phaseolus coccineus) harvest so far. I'm quite pleased with this since 2 years ago I had a harvest of 5 seeds and last year I had maybe a dozen mature before the first frosts.
October 28, 2025 at 10:45 PM
My runner bean (ayacotes, Phaseolus coccineus) harvest so far. I'm quite pleased with this since 2 years ago I had a harvest of 5 seeds and last year I had maybe a dozen mature before the first frosts.
Those five largest producers are at the far-right end of the distribution of pepper plants in this population.
One plant per bag, with any ranging from 10 to 19 g in the left column, then each column to the right increments by 10 g.
One plant per bag, with any ranging from 10 to 19 g in the left column, then each column to the right increments by 10 g.
October 27, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Those five largest producers are at the far-right end of the distribution of pepper plants in this population.
One plant per bag, with any ranging from 10 to 19 g in the left column, then each column to the right increments by 10 g.
One plant per bag, with any ranging from 10 to 19 g in the left column, then each column to the right increments by 10 g.
The last of my top five plants produced 143 g.
This one has a different shape than the others, which bothers me none at all.
This one has a different shape than the others, which bothers me none at all.
October 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM
The last of my top five plants produced 143 g.
This one has a different shape than the others, which bothers me none at all.
This one has a different shape than the others, which bothers me none at all.
173 and 115 g at left and right, respectively.
The narrow, elongated form is relatively dominant. Since the pod shape doesn't bither me for this project, I'll just let them be what they'll be. I do prefer those with the purple/black pigment, which is fortunately also dominant.
The narrow, elongated form is relatively dominant. Since the pod shape doesn't bither me for this project, I'll just let them be what they'll be. I do prefer those with the purple/black pigment, which is fortunately also dominant.
October 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM
173 and 115 g at left and right, respectively.
The narrow, elongated form is relatively dominant. Since the pod shape doesn't bither me for this project, I'll just let them be what they'll be. I do prefer those with the purple/black pigment, which is fortunately also dominant.
The narrow, elongated form is relatively dominant. Since the pod shape doesn't bither me for this project, I'll just let them be what they'll be. I do prefer those with the purple/black pigment, which is fortunately also dominant.
Some of my most productive pepper plants this year. 178 and 293 g at left and right, respectively.
Sweet peppers are among their ancestry, so I'm tasting each sample to ensure they're hot before processing them for seeds.
Sweet peppers are among their ancestry, so I'm tasting each sample to ensure they're hot before processing them for seeds.
October 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Some of my most productive pepper plants this year. 178 and 293 g at left and right, respectively.
Sweet peppers are among their ancestry, so I'm tasting each sample to ensure they're hot before processing them for seeds.
Sweet peppers are among their ancestry, so I'm tasting each sample to ensure they're hot before processing them for seeds.
Some variations in unripe green intensity in one of my pepper populations. They all ripen to red.
October 27, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Some variations in unripe green intensity in one of my pepper populations. They all ripen to red.
Some of the local wild grapes have fancier leaves.
It'll take a few years for this vine to grow up and mature. Only after it flowers will I be able to identify if this one is male or female.
Domesticated grapes have complete flowers, so they're both male and female at once.
It'll take a few years for this vine to grow up and mature. Only after it flowers will I be able to identify if this one is male or female.
Domesticated grapes have complete flowers, so they're both male and female at once.
October 25, 2025 at 12:24 AM
Some of the local wild grapes have fancier leaves.
It'll take a few years for this vine to grow up and mature. Only after it flowers will I be able to identify if this one is male or female.
Domesticated grapes have complete flowers, so they're both male and female at once.
It'll take a few years for this vine to grow up and mature. Only after it flowers will I be able to identify if this one is male or female.
Domesticated grapes have complete flowers, so they're both male and female at once.
One of my seed-grown rhubarb plants showed an unexpected trait. The cut ends of large roots started growing new yellow rootlets after it was dug up earlier this year.
October 24, 2025 at 4:05 AM
One of my seed-grown rhubarb plants showed an unexpected trait. The cut ends of large roots started growing new yellow rootlets after it was dug up earlier this year.
I've already got the muted color trait in P. vulgaris. (Seen here amongst yellow and pink lima beans.)
I've been trying to recreate the color independently in P. coccineus, but I may decide to introgress it from P. vulgaris in the end.
I've been trying to recreate the color independently in P. coccineus, but I may decide to introgress it from P. vulgaris in the end.
October 23, 2025 at 5:04 PM
I've already got the muted color trait in P. vulgaris. (Seen here amongst yellow and pink lima beans.)
I've been trying to recreate the color independently in P. coccineus, but I may decide to introgress it from P. vulgaris in the end.
I've been trying to recreate the color independently in P. coccineus, but I may decide to introgress it from P. vulgaris in the end.
Runner Beans (ayacotes, Phaseolus coccineus) can be very large when shelled.
These will get somewhat smaller and darker as they dry. The blue color will darken to black. The pink will darken to purple.
These will get somewhat smaller and darker as they dry. The blue color will darken to black. The pink will darken to purple.
October 22, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Runner Beans (ayacotes, Phaseolus coccineus) can be very large when shelled.
These will get somewhat smaller and darker as they dry. The blue color will darken to black. The pink will darken to purple.
These will get somewhat smaller and darker as they dry. The blue color will darken to black. The pink will darken to purple.
The two dark speckled seeds did develop the yellow color. The purple marks darkened towards black with drying and the yellow pigment. The seeds might dry down and darken further.
October 19, 2025 at 3:49 PM
The two dark speckled seeds did develop the yellow color. The purple marks darkened towards black with drying and the yellow pigment. The seeds might dry down and darken further.
After eating a small piece of the pith, I felt strongly compelled to spit it out. This may be the hottest pepper of the year. Its seeds are definitely going to be contributing to the population next year.
October 18, 2025 at 9:31 PM
After eating a small piece of the pith, I felt strongly compelled to spit it out. This may be the hottest pepper of the year. Its seeds are definitely going to be contributing to the population next year.
I've taken to first tasting the very tip of the pod. If it's hot here, it is going to be fierce.
This one tasted like a bell pepper at the tip. This doesn't say anything about what the pith will taste like.
This one tasted like a bell pepper at the tip. This doesn't say anything about what the pith will taste like.
October 18, 2025 at 9:31 PM
I've taken to first tasting the very tip of the pod. If it's hot here, it is going to be fierce.
This one tasted like a bell pepper at the tip. This doesn't say anything about what the pith will taste like.
This one tasted like a bell pepper at the tip. This doesn't say anything about what the pith will taste like.
The monster "jalapeño" that appeared in my high-heat pepper project has ripened, and it is time for its taste testing.
October 18, 2025 at 9:30 PM
The monster "jalapeño" that appeared in my high-heat pepper project has ripened, and it is time for its taste testing.
In my superhot project population, there are at least two distinct shades of green among the unripe peppers.
October 18, 2025 at 9:29 PM
In my superhot project population, there are at least two distinct shades of green among the unripe peppers.
Pods from the productivity population plants went into individual bags. The pods in each were weighed, then arranged into a histogram.
The left column ranges from 10 to 19 grams. The right most bag is 293 g. Most plants fell in the range of 40 to 79 g.
The left column ranges from 10 to 19 grams. The right most bag is 293 g. Most plants fell in the range of 40 to 79 g.
October 18, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Pods from the productivity population plants went into individual bags. The pods in each were weighed, then arranged into a histogram.
The left column ranges from 10 to 19 grams. The right most bag is 293 g. Most plants fell in the range of 40 to 79 g.
The left column ranges from 10 to 19 grams. The right most bag is 293 g. Most plants fell in the range of 40 to 79 g.
Because my goal is increased mass of hot peppers per plant, it doesn't bother me at all that there's the occasional hybrid.
Seeds from the hybrid will introduce more variation into this project next year, but with increased production in the mix, I'm good with that.
Seeds from the hybrid will introduce more variation into this project next year, but with increased production in the mix, I'm good with that.
October 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Because my goal is increased mass of hot peppers per plant, it doesn't bother me at all that there's the occasional hybrid.
Seeds from the hybrid will introduce more variation into this project next year, but with increased production in the mix, I'm good with that.
Seeds from the hybrid will introduce more variation into this project next year, but with increased production in the mix, I'm good with that.
Some are more dramatic than others. I've been interested in breeding floral peppers for a while, but getting the flowers larger and upwards facing seems to be difficult.
October 18, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Some are more dramatic than others. I've been interested in breeding floral peppers for a while, but getting the flowers larger and upwards facing seems to be difficult.
Though it doesn't really impact productivity, I tend to prefer pepper plants with some purple pigment in the leaves. A side effect is various degrees of purple color in the flowers.
October 18, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Though it doesn't really impact productivity, I tend to prefer pepper plants with some purple pigment in the leaves. A side effect is various degrees of purple color in the flowers.