HYB:Introductions:Improvements

I brought this over from iris photos.

In a message dated 6/3/2006 7:17:30 P.M. Central Standard Time,
fjmjedwards@worldnet.att.net writes:

<<Study your seedlings and study their  parents.  If the seedling is not  an
improvement over the parents, the world doesnbt need  it.>>

Maybe this depends a lot on an  individual's definition of improvement!  It
is something I've heard since I  started hybridizing so it's been around for
awhile.

This is a really good rule to  keep in mind when breeding for more ruffled
blues,  etc.   But there are  several situations where it doesn't necessarily
hold true.

1)  Checking your seedling  against it's parents is of no value if the
parents are inferior to others of  their class.  Start with the best you can
afford.
 But know that if  you start with 30 year old blue irises, it is highly
unlikely you will produce  anything that outshines those that are currently
"top of
the line."   Breeders of these beauties are already 6-10 years beyond them
when they are  introduced.

2)  Goals. . . and I guess this  speaks more to the definition of
improvement!  Many hybridizers are not  looking for more ruffles or more lace
etc.  There
are many worthwhile goals  such as improved branching, bud count, bloom
sequence, better substance,  etc.

Example:  ANOTHER BRIDGE X  ENCHANTER.  Another Bridge is one of my
rebloomers which was introduced in  2005.  Enchanter is an awesome iris (my
opinion) by
Barry Blyth.   It's sibling Dignity Dancer has been known to rebloom in warm
climates, also  it's parent Louisa's Song.  It is not within my expectations
for the  children of this cross to have better form or pattern than Enchanter.
But  I can assure you that should I get children with the rebloom ability of
AB that  is half way between on form and pattern, I will introduce them!
Maybe I  should explain that Enchanter bloom here was beyond awesome!  Huge!





________________________________________________________
If you  don't cross them, you can't  plant them!
Betty W. in South-central  KY Zone 6 ---
Bridge In Time Iris Garden@website:
_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/)

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE IRIS
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index