Re: HYB:Germination

Let me add in here.
   
  I know from experience, which I see Paul has seconded down string, that the seeds don't mind being cold and soaked at the same time. 
   
  Since I handle my seeds quite a bit I have observed that there comes a point when the soaking has gone to far.  Betty describes the results of this whenever it is she says she doesn't dig in the dirt much.  The seeds, uniformly, begin with a somewhat oily texture.  After a certain amount of soaking I have noticed a "release" of the oil, which makes the individual seeds quite slippery to handle.  My impression is that sometime after that germination begins, no hard data to back it up, but if you are burritoing your seeds you this is the stage when all the coffee colored stains appear on the paper towel, and you probably switch to a new towel.
   
  The cycling between wet and dry that I have done this year has convinced me- again no hard data- that once that oily coating is gone the seeds must not be allowed to dry out as this will result in the embryo itself seperating from the endosperm and shriveling up.  In that case the seed may still seem rock hard and viable but it isn't.  After the oil coat is gone the seeds seem like wet pine bark mulch rather than like popcorn kernels.
   
  For what it's worth I am less convinced that the repeated cycles of warm and cold are important.  I think there might be some muddy data between cold enough and wet enough, or enough time passed since the last day at x temperature. 
   
  I'm sure there's got to be a parental bloom season connection but I'm wondering if maybe the later blooming parents' contribution might be a photosensetivity (I mean like the thing where my horses' hormones are triggered by lengthening days and that's what makes them shed their winter coats)  I have had two distinct flushes of seedlings so far, one begining in the fridge with the seedlings that only needed six weeks and the second beginning roughly when the seeds are returned to the window sill around Dec 22.  Pods now germinating are with few exceptions pods which did not germinate at all after the first cold cycle.  Those pods which germinated in the early cycle now seem to be in the wet mulch condition that I mentioned earlier.
   
  hmm, I guess I should break here or I'll end up in a rambling rant. 
Christian
  ky
pharcher@mindspring.com wrote:
  The germination process and reduction of germination inhibitors in Bearded Irises only occurs in the presence of water which allows metabolism to occur within the seed. Otherwise the seed is in a dormant state and very minimal respiration or other metabolism should be occuring.

Otherwise it would only be necessary to store them in the refridgerator for the required amount of time and then plant them.

I had posted earlier a few weeks ago that I had some seeds from a particular cross germinate at 6 weeks after being stored in the refrigerator for a year. However, this iss apparently only occuring for this one cross and not the others and once all my germination data comes in I'm probably going to propose a theory that the early germination for this particular cross (and other crosses such as with 'Immortality') is genetically controlled. But really aren't they all? The norm is really just 12 weeks, some 8, and now I might have a line that is at 6 weeks.

I have a plan to study the factors of dry storage and immediate germination after vernalization this next year after I obtain enough seed from these particular lines of plants.


So, to answer your question, yes, the seed of Beardeds Iris must imbibe water and swell (not necessarily soaked) for the germination process and reduction of germination inhibitors to occur... in general...until further notice.



-----Original Message-----
>From: Autmirislvr@aol.com
>Sent: Feb 12, 2007 10:38 AM
>To: iris@hort.net
>Subject: [iris]HYB:Germination
>
>Good morning, Iris Friends,
> 
>Well, I came up with something new. For me anyway! 
> 
>We've talked about several different methods for starting iris seed. My way 
>has always been to start them in pots, filling the pots in late fall or 
>early winter, soaking the pots for 5 days, and leaving them outside with various 
>levels of cover until mother nature decides to sprout them in the spring. 
>This has worked for me. I've read other methods but not tried any of them. 
> 
>Wet seed crack easier than dry seed. But . . . Is it necessary to soak the 
>seed BEFORE the chilling process? Could one have any measure of success by 
>chilling first and then soaking? 
> 
>Has anyone tried this method???
> 
>1) Fill pots with soil in the fall. (to allow settling of soil) 
>2) Store seed in an outdoor shed to experience the freeze and thaw cycle.
>3) Plant in spring. (March in my area)
>4) Soak pots containing seed every day for a week or so. 
> 
>I think I've talked myself out of trying it! 
>
> 
>________________________________________________________
>Betty W. in South-central KY Zone 6 ---If you don't cross them, you can't 
>plant them! 
>Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
>Where the seeds are in the pots once again! 
>_www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/_ 
>(http://www.thegardensite.com/irises/bridgeintime/) 
>_Reblooming Iris - Home Page_ (http://www.rebloomingiris.com/) 
>_iris-photos archives_ (http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/) 
>_iris-talk archives_ (http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/) 
>_AIS: American Iris Society website_ (http://www.irises.org/) 
>
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