Old Article on Japanese Iris Breeding
- To: I*@Rt66.com
- Subject: Old Article on Japanese Iris Breeding
- From: c*@qntm.com (Chad Schroter)
- Date: Mon, 24 Jun 1996 15:33:58 -0700
I recently came across an article in the February '83 issue of
Horticulture Magazine titled "The Americanization of Japanese Iris" by Esther
Mackintosh. The article chronicles the breeding efforts of William Ackerman and
Margot Williams at the National Arboretum. Their early efforts (1959) were to
extend individual flower longevity through progressive selection. Ackerman then
turned to irradiation of hybrid seed (exposure to Cobalt 60 for 10,000 rads) to
try and bring out recessive traits and introduce mutations. Finally they are
embarking (1983) on attempts to cross a tetraploid (via cochicine) I.
Pseudacorus and a tetraploid I. Kaempferi with hopes of introducing the color
yellow with the japanese iris form.
Some 13 years has passed and I was curious if anyone had been succesfull
with pseudacorus x kaempferi. Also have other hybridizers experimented with
irradiation and what results did they get ?
Chad Schroter Los Gatos CA
