What Causes Low Germination Rates?

I have no answers. Anyone else?

K Barrett

On Thu, 15 May 2008 07:23:01 -0700, "K Barrett" snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote in <gLSdnVxJjd_f2rHVnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Thank you for your response.

Does Aaron Hicks still frequent this newsgroup?

It seems to be sort of quiet compared to what it used to be.

{laff} Heck, have you seen the OGD? Its nothing but newsfeed from some guy in Canada. Used to be a great resource. But, that said, one only gets the forum one participates in.

I know the old hybridizers used to wipe the stigmatic surface with orange juice in order to increase germination rates. Something about the acid increasing 'take'.

I know the more complex the hybrid the lower the germination rate.

I know there's a difference in yeild when crossing a complex hybrid and a species. But I can't rememebr if you get higher yeild if the species carrys the pod or the complex does....

As to medium, all I vaguely remember is that some genera require different nutrients in the medium than others, but not that the medium could somehow influence the outcome of a cross. It will be interesting to see if Aaron picks up on this discussion. He does still look in occasionally.

Again, sorry to be of no help.

K Barrett (OrchidSafari had a series of 3 chats on hybridizing, one of which was published in the Orchid Digest magazine. Not all links work in the 3rd one, but you may find something there... who knows?, even a blind squirrel gets a nut.)