Attatched is a photo of seedling, 03-166-2. This plant has fascinating
genetics. What you see here is an alternative yellow with tangerine
beards and an overly of light blue amoena to give a flower that has
light yellow standards, brown falls and a tangerine beard. I have
numerous seedlings of same colour pattern as it is a line I have been
working for awhile. This is one with great form so should be introduced
if all goes well. The others in this line, particularly the red beard
green amoenas have had very poor form. So now I should be able to move
ahed on the red bearded green amoenas using this as a parent. A lot of
recessives in here. The “alternative yellow” is the gene behind orange
coloured iris flowers. It is this yellow combined with tangerine that
gives orange flowers their colour. This yellow is a recessive, unlike
regular yellow which is a dominant gene. The normal production of
yellow (usually beta-carotene in iris), is first production of lycopene
(the pink colour referred to as “tangerine “ and short formed as tttt)
and this is converted into yellow carotenoids, usually beta-carotene.
Thus if the production of lycopene is blocked, then the regular
production of beta-carotene is blocked. There is an alternative form of
production of yellow carotenoids. In the World of Iris, on pg 372 is an
outline of how this works. This biochemical pathway is now generally
considered incorrect in flowers, and is more representative of certain
bacteria. Generally not acknowledged as a way for carotenoid production
in flowers. But I can’t think of any other explanation, and it is
recessive so obviously has a different genetic basis from regular
beta-carotene.. The removal of lycopene from petals of a pink flower
is
a recessive trait. Thus the whites with red beards, or yellows with red
beard.
This seedling has tremendous genetic potential for breeding.
I’m
anxiously awaiting to see its children.
Chuck
Chapman
