Re: AIS: Sage article issues

Chris, I really appreciate your comments. 
 
I have in mind a very different approach to the subject than used by Austin in his article.  Carole Taber loaned me her copy of an in-depth text that explores the molecular level of the biology and growth mechanisms of plants.  The part that most concerns SAGE would be that dealing with differentiation of the meristematic (growing tip) tissues into flower stem, attached stem leaf remnants, branching and flower formation.
 
Some photos in the Robin, especially those from Michael Michalis, have shown some significant things about flounces that I find especially revealing about which parts of the iris flower from which the Space Age appendages arise.  I think this is really important matter about which to get a good handle, as the genetics controlling flower formation are where the Space Age characteristics are to be found.
 
All of this is controlled by sequences of different sections of what is in chromosomes firing up or shutting down.  What controls ordinary growth of rhizome and leaf production gets switched off, with those parts of the genome determining flowering development come out of their sleep and going to work.
 
Everything we call "genetic" is a result of enzymes and hormones, which themselves are proteins and enzymes. 
Enzymes, catalysts of the processes, and various kinds of protein hormones are what "genes" are made of.
 
A familiar example of a hormone at work is when we use Rootone(R), a commercial product with about a 3 ppm solution, used according to directions, application of NAA (naphthaline acetic acid), a hormone that has to do with cell sizing and/or rate of division, I have forgotten which for the moment.  A series or related hormones--IAA (indole acetic acid), gibberellins and so one are all used selectively in fruit and flower industries to effect specific characteristics in commercial products.  An example of this are those lovely, large grape clusters bought at the local supermarket.  Those are sized up and bunch enhanced through a spray of a very dilute solution of a gibberellin during development.
 
An understanding of genetics at the molecular level is the only way to get a handle on what, why and how things like double flowers and SA characteristics can and do occur.
 
I'm hoping to include some of this sort of thing in the article along with a summary of the SAGE project and the rationale behind the choices made of cross-types.
 
How much of this flies over the hair-do of the majority of AIS readers is really important.  We don't want to leave the majority of the folks out there bewildered by what is said.
 
Neil Mogensen  z  7 western NC mountains

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