HYB - TB: Reg. 7 Irisarian Reprints #9

> A series of articles reprinted from the Region 7 IRISARIAN with myself as
> Editor in 1990-91.  [Gary Sides--Jan. 1998:  Posted to Iris-L]
> 
DEVELOPMENT OF NEW IRIS HYBRIDS
Dave Niswonger        Cape Girardeau, Missouri
	    
As one continues the improvement of the iris by hybridization, there are
two avenues the hybridizer can take.  One is to improve on present colors
by increasing the bud count, improving the branching, improving the form of
the flower, or to add lace and ruffles.  The second avenue is to develop a
new color.  The latter takes more time and patience.  In order for a
hybridizer to have some encouragement, he probably ought to do some of
both.  Some hybridizers may lean more toward one approach than another.  In
my own case, I have been more interested in developing new colors such as
pink amoenas, halo types  with some emphasis on intensifying the pink band
on the irises, whites with blue beards, pinks with blue beards, and various
bi-colors which are usually by-products of pink amoena breeding.
	    
I made my first crosses in 1952, lined out the seedlings in 1953 and
bloomed some of my own seedlings in 1954.  I had collected some chance
pollinated seed from an iris friend and bloomed some seedlings from that
seed in 1953.  One of the seedlings from the 1954 group has appeared
throughout my line occasionally.
	    
One of the problems in trying to develop a color that has never existed is
that you have to segregate recessive traits.  Very often in doing this weak
growth habits or tenderness may appear which will eliminate some of the
advances.  In other words, you may get the color that you want, but then
lose it because of its inability to reproduce itself or not being very
hardy.  I achieved a pink  with a blue beard in 1970, but lost it because
it did not make increases.  I was able to get two seed pods from it and
introduced several interesting seedlings from these crosses, but it wasn't
until 1990 that I introduced  my first pink with a blue beard.
	    
The problem of developing a white with a blue beard is that the whiter the
flower becomes the paler the blue beard becomes.  It is  difficult to break
the connection between the petal color and the beard color.  I think other
hybridizers have made some great strides in this  respect.  I would
probably have to say that BLUE ZIPPER '81 is probably my best to date.  It
is a late bloomer and is reluctant to set seeds.  Usually there is not many
other irises left  when it blooms to become the pod parent.  I do have
several seedlings with this background that  I have been evaluating, but
haven't quite achieved what I have in mind.
	    
STAINED IVORY that I grew and introduced for Gene Buckles in 1972 gave me
the idea of developing a pink halo iris with an intense pink rim or band on
the falls.  I have some potential introductions coming up in this color
grouping but still haven't quite gotten the intensity that I would like to
have.
	    
I started corresponding with Barry Blyth in 1973 when I realized  that he
had been using SUNSET SNOWS in the quest for the pink amoena.  SUNSET SNOWS
was introduced by Jean Stevens from New Zealand in 1965 and Barry had the
use of it a couple of years before it was introduced.  I wrote him in 1970
and he already had about three generations away from SUNSET SNOWS which was
quite interesting to me.  Since then we have exchanged information and
plants as we have worked towards the development of a pink amoena.  By
doing this, many interesting bi-colors developed along with irises that
have a reblooming trait.  For example, CHAMPAGNE ELEGANCE '87 is a summer
bloomer and will, of course, bloom farther north in the fall because of
this.  This in itself is opening up some new genetic material for
hybridizers in rebloomers to utilize.  I haven't really specifically worked
on reblooming irises, but have accidently gotten some through the years. 
But, more than the reblooming 
trait, seedlings from CHAMPAGNE ELEGANCE are showing indications of good
clean amoenas.  In 1989 I got a very nice apricot amoena in the border
class.  It also throws some very interesting bi-colors.
	    
Since I work at a full time job, I am limited as to how many seedlings I
can handle each year and to select and carry them on through until final
introductions are made.  My preference is to grow about 1500 seedlings out
of which I will probably mark about 50 seedlings.  I would probably make
200 or 300 crosses, but working with the recessives you don't always get
cooperation either from the seed pod parent or from the pollen parent. 
Less than half the crosses will take and then, of course, germination is
another matter.  It usually takes about four years from the time the
seedling is first selected to the time it is introduced.  The seedling
should be vigorous so that it can get propagated and distributed as well as
having some improvement, either as a rebloomer, a new color, or improved
branching.  In regards to branching, ORANGE CELEBRITY was selected strictly
because of this since most oranges tend to bloom at the top and this one
has an extra branch coming up from the bottom and has better spaced blooms
which I felt was an advantage in addition to the bright clean orange color
and the bright red beard.  Generally speaking, the older colors such as the
whites, the blues, and the plicatas have all the general best qualities for
forms, substance, branching and so forth.
	    
Some of the seedlings I got in 1989 that I liked really well were: 
BB-30-89, which is a border iris from BEACH GIRL X CHAMPAGNE ELEGANCE. 
This was an apricot amoena.  Another interesting seedling was 39-89 which
was a very deep blue with a dark blue beard coming from TOUCH OF BRONZE X
EVERYTHING PLUS.  EVERYTHING PLUS is a good parent for branching, width at
hafts, and having amoena and plicata breeding behind it, could be used in
several directions.  I have crossed it with LA ZANZARA and have gotten some
interesting blue amoena-plicatas.  HALO IN YELLOW '89 has thrown some very
good seedlings with orange halos, pink halos, and of course, yellow halos. 
Also with other good qualities:  substance, width, etc.  I am very
interested in the bi-colors and amoenas and got a very interesting pink
amoena this year, 81-89.  This came from two of my seedlings from a long
line of breeding.  One of the problems of developing a pink amoena is so
often the pink falls are not pink, but salmon in color or some other color.
 To get truly pink falls seems to be difficult.  I have also been working
on what I call a patriotic iris which has white standards, blue falls, and
a red beard.  I have several generations of seedlings and recently crossed
these into CONDOTTIERE (Cayeux '78).  This particular variety gives large
size as well as its color to this particular line.  Everyone probably
should grow a few red seedlings just to contribute to everyone working
together in developing a truly red iris.  This color is very difficult and
I would not recommend that a person grow a lot of these seedlings if they
are just starting, because they will be disappointed.  One approach, of
course, is  to try mixing pink with reds and if you check the parentage on
many of the new introductions, you can see those that have some red in
their breeding.  Irises with FAR CORNERS in them might be good to use
crossing on reds.
	    
For the novice hybridizer, I would recommend that he use the very latest
varieties possible in the particular colors in which he is interested. 
There is no need to use old irises and reinvent the wheel.  Hybridizers who
are making new introductions are probably three or four years ahead in that
particular color.  So you don't want to start ten years behind.  You may
want to try to make some crosses with these that you think others may not
have made.  If you like pink irises, you might like to make some pink
crosses.  I would suggest that in order to gain hybrid vigor, use the
latest pink introductions from well known hybridizers who have bred quality
pink irises like Joe Gatty, Nate Rudolph, Ben Hagar and others.  Cross the
newest of these with each other and start from there.  When I started
hybridizing, I could not afford to buy many new introductions, in fact,
only one or two a year.  So a friend of mine traded pollen with me and then
later traded plants in order to get some of the newer varieties.  There are
other friends, members in the Iris Society, who may be glad to share pollen
with you from some of the new introductions of colors in which you might be
interested.  
	    
You cannot always be sure how many seed pods you will get when making
crosses.  I would suggest that you make plenty just to play it safe,
because if it happens to rain right after you have made some crosses, those
particular crosses will not take.  If it is hot and dry and the wind is
blowing strongly, it is very unlikely the crosses will take either.  I
would suggest that you start out with just a few crosses to learn what
works the best for you so you can get the seedlings planted as early as
possible.  Keep them good and clean so they will grow well during the year.
 This way they will be more likely to bloom the following year.  If you get
too many and you plant them late and cannot take care of them very well,
then they will not bloom the following year and you will have to grow two
or three years before you can see what colors you have.  Remember that if
you cultivate the seedlings after every rain, you will always retain that
moisture and will not need to water.  I have gone as much as six weeks in
drought, with 100* temperature without watering.  By cultivating, you are
in fact creating a dust mulch.
	    
Irises are one of the easiest plants to hybridize.  Make a few crosses, get
some experience and talk to others and you will find that this is a very
enjoyable activity.
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