In a message dated 3/18/2008 10:41:26 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
IrisLady@comcast.net writes:
I'm just wondering - - How successful are these
tissue cultures? If they were that successful wouldn't Cooley's (after
all these years) have their "red" iris by
now?
Tissue culture is just a means of propagation, not a way to create new
cultivars. For example, African Violets can be increased by removing a
mature, strong leave and potting it. The plantlets it produces will be the
same as the mother plant.
Embryo culture is a way to get plants from seeds that have viable embryos
but are difficult to germinate or have insufficient endosperm. John Holden
did this quite successfully with arils and some arilbreds from wide
crosses. Others have used the technique, but I can't think of anyone else
who wrote about the procedures so extensively.
I had enough success with enhanced germination procedures that I did not
step up to embryo culture. If I were still hybridizing, I'd certainly be
tempted by the wider availability of equipment today.
Sharon McAllister
