Re: HYB: If you could ignore hybridizing barriers...(question)

<If you could magically transfer a trait [maybe
genetically engineer] from one kind of iris to
another, what would you choose to transfer?>

In response Linda Mann wrote:
Three things -
1) fragrance of I. germanica or pallida in Louisianas
(sweetly fragrant LAs)
2) habitat tolerance of Louisianas in modern tall
bearded (wetland
tolerant TBs)
3) habitat tolerance of I. cristata in modern tall
bearded (full shade tolerant TBs)

I think (3) is possible with the genetic material
already present in TBs, at least in the hotter parts
of irisdom.  Some already do better in part shade than
full sun.  Might be interesting to see how much soggy
soil the gene pool can tolerate.

--------------------------------------------------

Thanks for your reply, Linda. Those are exactly the
kinds of answers I was hoping for. I hadn't thought
about the lack of fragrance in some of the other
groups of irises. And, although I had thought about
trying for more sogginess-tolerance in TB's; I hadn't
thought about trying for shade tolerance. That's
another really good one, since many people don't have
the luxury of an open, sunny growing area. My poor
sister is in that predicament.

In consideration of the idea of breeding for tolerance
of all sorts of environmental challenges, I just
recently read about an alfalfa breeder (maybe it was
here? or at the rose hybridizers forum?), who started
his seedlings out in waterlogged sand to specifically
select the ones that were more rot-resistant. This
could be an interesting strategy to try with bearded
irises.

On the side, I have to laugh, thinking about a TB iris
that would thrive anywhere, even in soggy soil and
heavy shade. My father-in-law [only half-jokingly]
calls irises, "those-damn-flags". He's only familiar
with the old-fashioned toughies and already is
convinced that they'll grow even on the surface of a
cement patio. He's gotten quite a few laughs out of
the idea that my first introduction [Clown Pants] will
be selling this year for $20. "People actually pay
money for them?" Wait until I tell him that people (me
included) are even concerned with breeding them to be
tougher. He'll probably split a seem.

Take care, Tom
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