More on Keppel Seminar in OKC

Dana Brown wrote:
> 
> > Keith Keppel was the special guest speaker at the 18th Annual Pollen
> > Dauber's Seminar yesterday in Oklahoma City.
>
> I really wanted to go to this but due to the time and money we have been
> spending remodeling the house it just wasn't possible.  Please tell us
> more about what you learned and what happened.
> 

OK, Dana, here's a page from my notes from the seminar.  It really helps
me understand better why modern TB varieties perform differently in
different climates.  

Modern TBs contain genes from several species that have been mixed and
re-mixed through man's efforts to get what he doesn't have.  After all,
we want bigger flowers, taller stalks, new colors and patterns, better
branching, no haft marks and variegated foliage, right?
Anyway, knowing something about the ancestors of the modern TB helps to
see how we got to where we are today.  Here goes.  Hope I can read my
writing.

First, there was
I. Variegata    diploid, 24 chromosomes, yellow over red, 20-25 inches
tall
I. Pallida      diploid, 24 chromosomes, lavender to blue, 30 inches
tall
The above two were found in colder areas of Europe.  They are winter
dormant and summer growers.  They intercross readily because the
chromosome count is the same.  They have smaller flowers.
Then, some gutsy folks collected 
I. Mesopotamica  tetraploid, 48 chromosomes
I. Cypriana      tetraploid, 48 chromosomes
I. Trojana       tetraploid, 48 chromosomes
from places like Syria and Italy.  These irises come from places where
there are mild winters and dry summers.  They go dormant in the dry
summer and grow in the winter, BUT they have much bigger flowers.
Some breeding breakthroughs allowed the dips and tets to get together
and form the basis of today's modern TBs.  So we have genes that want to
go dormant in winter and genes that want to grow in winter.  And we have
genes that want to go dormant in summer and genes that want to grow in
the summer.  All in the same modern hybrid!  Natural selection has been
bypassed.  We have to live with the consequences.

If that isn't enough, let's throw in some more:
I. Aphylla        tetraploid, 48 chromosomes
>From central Europe, rather short, another winter dormant type.
- has branches at foliage base
- blue beards come from this
- has a factor to intensify pigments (blacks have this trait)
- makes tet MTBs

I. Imbricata 
- from northern Iran, Armenia, Georgia
- violet
- has Anthocyanin (blue, violet pigment) inhibitor gene IN THE FALLS
- makes reverse Amoenas, bicolors, bitones

I. Kashmiriana
- Tangerine beards trace to this

I. Reichenbachii
- tet with 48 chromosomes
- has Anthocyanin inhibitor gene IN THE STANDARDS
- makes Amoenas, bicolors, bitones

Then, there is I. Pumila.  Any median experts want to take it from here?
- tetraploid, but has 32 chromosomes
- makes MDB, SDB, IB when crossed with tet TBs
- wide range of colors
- the pumila spot pattern
- Barry Blythe is using ZING ME hoping to carry the pumila spot up to
the talls
(Once again, following that natural desire.  Trying to get what we don't
have.)

I'll stop there.  You get the idea.  There are other species involved,
too.  The point (way back there) is that we've got a jumble of genes in
that mixing bowl we call iris.  Each gene carries its own traits, "good"
and "bad" for the particular soil and climate the iris is imported
into.  If the genes like your environment, the plant will be happy.  
I think I understand now what Lloyd was saying a while back on the
list.  He said something to the effect of "I think that variety has too
much Mesopotamica in it to grow good for you in your climate."  He was
probably talking to a northern grower, right?

Gotta go now.  Sorry this was so long-winded.  I'm still eager and
learning, so if others on the list find errors, please correct me.

Greer Holland
central Oklahoma, USDA zone 7
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index