Re: Re: aphylla hybrids

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Bill, Chuck,

My main interest in I. aphylla was its chromosome count, general hardiness and gardenability, plus smaller size.  The plan is to build a family based on aphylla-types and tet oncos/regelias.  My biggest problem is not the wetness of my climate, which is a big hurdle, but the wind storms we get a iris bloom season.  The TBs just land in the mud.  My most successful group is the MBs and, of course, the pumila hybrids.  I'm using I. pumila in the breeding, as well, but do not wish to rely on one species, plus I. aphylla has branching!

Chucks explanation of the aphylla dormancy is interesting.  Nice to understand why we get some re-bloomers.

I suspect the dominant purple of I. aphylla has kept hybridizers from working more intently with it.  If this enhancement works with all anthocyanins, it could be a road to intense clear anthocyanin pinks and violets.

-- 
Jamie V.

_______________________

Köln (Cologne)
Germany
Zone 8 

irischapman@aim.com schrieb:

In terms of cold hardiness, I wouldn't necessarily look to aphylla. At
least not for that  purpose alone. Aphylla has  a unique form of
dormancy, that may be quite different then other dormancy. It is a
photoperiod dormant. Triggered into dormancy by the decreasing
daylength in fall. Once dormant, it won't break dormancy until it has
had the required cold period.  I have done some interesting experiments
on this.

   If cold period occurs before  triggering photoperiod, the leaves
freeze, the same way as with so called semi-evergreen daylilies.

Mixing aphylla with a cold period dormant plant, in first or second
generation will produce plants with mixed dormancy, and lack of
vernalization gene for flowering and you get some  fall cyaclic
rebloomers in seedlings.

Aphylla has the genes fro anthocyanin enhancement "Ae" which are
dominant. they enhance the colour of the anthocyanin by producong
Anthocyanin Vascular intrusions, which are solid protein based globules
of anthocyanin inside vacuoles and thus enhancing the pigment
colouration.

For cold hardiness, just get some of my proven cold hardy plants, bred
to survive my harsh winters, without consitent snow cover. Check out
how many have won Loomis awards.

If anyone wants some seeds of Yellow Conunfrum, let me know. Thare are
always lots, but they are open pollinatd. There are lots of differerent
aphyllas nearby, as well as many other iris.

I suspect a lot of different untapped ge
netics in aphylla. But I like
thin stalks and high bud count and low branching. The Yellow Conunfdrum
is producing some unusual colours in seedlings, many which appear to be
pure aphylla.

Chuck Chapman

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Chaney <billchaney@ymail.com>
To: iris-species@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, Aug 12, 2009 7:37 pm
Subject: Re: [iris-species] aphylla hybrids

 So I know that I am interested in cold hardiness in aphylla bred iris,
but I would love to hear what others are hoping to accomplish by using
I. aphylla or aphylla bred iris in their breeding programs.Bill