honey solution

From: Neil Carroll zzamia at hargray.com> on 2000.05.25 at 00:46:28(4632) Regarding the matter of using a honey solution in breeding. The rational behind its use goes like this. A 20% honey solution is painted on the stigmas in order to ; give a sticky surface to hold the pollen in plaace ; provide an enhanced nutritive environment for pollen growth; possiblly reduce the concentration /effectiveness of any inhibitory compounds. Creative thinking is needed in any breeding situation. For example, a friend who grwos palms uses a Water-0 Jet squirt gun to shoot a mixture of pollen and water wtith a bit of honey added to it in order to pollinate palm flowers 30 feet off of the ground. It works! I use the same technique to fertilize orchids and ferns high in the oak trees. On the topic of hybrids: Tell the collectors not to confuse the container with the contents. It's the genes that must survive, not a particular phenotype. John Banta +More via snail mail Neil

From: "Bonaventure W Magrys" magrysbo at shu.edu> on 2000.05.26 at 01:39:58(4636) Genes survive, but they can be resegregated. Hybrids crossed, selfed, or backcrossed produce this result. The F2 generation and further has all sorts of results, not the even mixing of 2 parents in a primary hybrid. One particular trait that is most desired can be had with the rest of the genetic makeup resembling other species in the cultivars background. Bonaventure Magrys in Elizabeth (writing from South Orange),NJ; where I've just used the eyedropper method to put on Arisaema flavum pollen onto A. saxatile(candidissimum pollen didn't seem to take) and onto A. speciosum. Another speciosum bloom was male, spadix excised and refridgerated, awaiting an A. intermedium. Happy endings. Neil Carroll on 05/24/2000 08:46:34 PM Please respond to aroid-l@mobot.org To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L cc: (bcc: Bonaventure W Magrys/ADM/SHU) Subject: Re: Hybridizing: honey solution Regarding the matter of using a honey solution in breeding. The rational behind its use goes like this. A 20% honey solution is painted on the stigmas in order to ; give a sticky surface to hold the pollen in plaace ; provide an enhanced nutritive environment for pollen growth; possiblly reduce the concentration /effectiveness of any inhibitory compounds. Creative thinking is needed in any breeding situation. For example, a friend who grwos palms uses a Water-0 Jet squirt gun to shoot a mixture of pollen and water wtith a bit of honey added to it in order to pollinate palm flowers 30 feet off of the ground. It works! I use the same technique to fertilize orchids and ferns high in the oak trees. On the topic of hybrids: Tell the collectors not to confuse the container with the contents. It's the genes that must survive, not a particular phenotype. John Banta +More via snail mail Neil

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