Re: SPEC: REB: variegata (was HYB: RE: Reblooming diploid TB....)

First, thanks for the replies.

I have Iris variegata (Beardsley) and Iris variegata (Cook), both of 
which have never rebloomed for me here in Maryland. A seedling of 
Iris variegata (Beardsley) from Iris suaveolens mellita pollen 
bloomed for the first time last year and then surprised me by 
reblooming several weeks after the first stalks had finished. I had 
been hoping for rebloom in the F2 of this cross, but hadn't thought 
the F1 would exhibit it. The pods are finishing up, right now, on 
this year's first stalks so we'll see if it does it again this year. 
So far no sign of new stalks. But the fans look great.

Most of the seed that I'm harvesting off of the Iris variegata x 
suaveolens mellita, is from pollen of Rosemary's Dream and Little 
Clown (two nice MTB's) but I also have some from Iris pallida 
(Latil). This pallida clone is supposed to rebloom in France.

By working at the diploid level, I should be able to most rapidly 
gather together into one plant, rebloom-inducing genes with other 
supporting genes. Along with ability to rebloom, it may be necessary 
to have certain other plant growth habit traits, such as extreme 
vigor or continuous and staggered production of new fans.

From what I've seen of the 24-chromosome (diploid) bearded species, I 
don't think we've even "scratched the surface", as far as genetic 
potential goes. I think inbreeding of diploid bearded species crosses 
would turn out some novel interesting combinations of recessive 
genes. I think there probably are many recessive genes that have 
remained hidden by the self-incompatibility of irises (which 
discourages inbreeding) and by breeding primarily at the tetraploid 
level. Also, the foundation of the modern TB's seems to me to be 
primarily based on pallida, variegata and a few middle eastern 
tetraploids. Look what interesting genes have come from infusion of 
dominant genes from other species, for example: pigment darkening 
genes from aphylla, and amoena pattern genes from balkana or 
reichenbachiana. From the diverse bearded species, we could probably 
make use of many more interesting genes, dominant and recessive.


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