Quote:
They are no longer considered "hybirds" once they will consistantly reproduce true
Original "strains" are not hybrids. Not at all. Bear Foot Farm is right. Additionally, most plants we have today are selectively bred from within the same species or variety. That does not make them a hybrid. Maize has been selectively bred for hundred of years to give us the corn we have today. However, that does NOT make them hybrids. Taken from dictionary.com:
Hybrid - the offspring of two animals or plants of different breeds, varieties, species, or genera, especially as produced through human manipulation for specific genetic characteristics.
Yes, some of the plants we grow ARE hybrids, but the process of going from wild-type to domestic plant is not through hybridization. However, we may use hybridization to get, for example, different color corn, different color flowers, different size cucumbers, etc. Hybrid does NOT mean crossing of the pollen from one plant and the eggs from another within the same species or variety.
I also want to add that I think they are using the term open pollination incorrectly. Open pollination just means that plants are pollintated without the help of human hands. Pollination occurs through water, wind, birds, insects, lizards, etc. Yes, hybridization CAN occur, but often times plants have mechanisms to avoid this. It is rare to find hybridized plants in nature, even though open pollination occurs. It usually occurs in the garden because people don't space out the their plants correctly or they grow plants that are too closely related. Open pollination really has nothing to do with whether or not a plant is a hybrid.