Re: Re: HYB: seed counts per pod

Neil,

> On the way home from the 1960 Portland (OR) AIS convention we jogged north
up
> to Yakima where we dropped in on Jack Linse.  He had been raising
seedlings
> from a large number of crosses on LADY MOHR from TB pollen.  It apparently
had
> a much higher fertility than those quarter-breds from William Mohr (the
iris)
> or the myriad Capitola offspring even though its half-aril parent was
closely
> related to them.

LADY MOHR has registered TB descendants.  Many are via LM pollen.  What I've
found in my reading indicates that this was a route much more commonly used
in the 40s, 50s and into the early 60s when it seems to have just about died
out.  Many of the hybridizers doing it during that time period - Linse,
Austin, Craig, Noyd and others also ceased being as active by the time it
stopped.  Today, with all the fertile arilbreds, most tend to work among the
fertile group.  There are good and valid reasons for doing that.  What I
haven't found is that quarterbreds were ever used much with the fertile
group of arilbreds.  At least there are not many registrations from that
kind of cross.  I think the hybridizing that produced ELMOHR, CAPITOLA and
MARY McCLELLAN is not very likely to occur again.  Since my own daubing is
for fun and satisfying my curiosity, I wanted to use the type with those
fertile arilbreds.  Mainly in the hope to get stronger plants while
retaining as much of the aril look as possible.  I've approached it several
ways, including cytoplasmic inheritance for one, but it's very early in the
game yet.  My own attempts with LADY MOHR have yielded three pods totaling 7
seeds and no germination yet.  I think Linse was better at it than I am.

> I'd be interested in knowing what parents you are using and what you have
> found to give offspring with at least some fertility.

Most of my seedlings haven't reached blooming age yet, and some that have,
have been frozen out.  I had a few bloom last year and a TENNESSE GENTLEMAN
X SCOTCH GOLD seedling gave me a pod with 14 seeds via SHEIK pollen.  About
8 of those seeds looked good and hopefully I'll see some germination this
spring.  Since I'm working toward the aril look and am pretty much satisfied
with the aril species form, I will use TBs from any age.  I have used some
as far back as the 30s right up through a year or two from the present -
strappy to laced and ruffled.  The qualities I hope for from a TB plant
don't have too much to do with TB form, so I can't see why not.  I also
attempt to set pods on the available quarterbreds that have been introduced
and that I also grow.  It happens, but seeds don't come easily and
germination has been poor.  I do make other arilbred crosses as well, but my
focus is doing it via quarterbreds.  It should keep the number of seedlings
I have to watch over to lower numbers.  Since quarterbreds set pods
reluctantly, I expect I'll need to be patient and try multiple seasons of
daubing to determine those that will set pods here.

Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7b, USA

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