What Causes Low Germination Rates?

May 14, 2008 Last reply: 18 years ago 4 Replies

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Larry Dighera

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.

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Larry Dighera 18 years ago

What causes low germination rates of flasked orchid seed?

Is a low seed germination rate most often due to too little pollen in contact with the stigmatic surface at pollination time?

I would suspect that different media formulae would produce different results for a given cross. Has anyone had any experience with this phenomenon? Any specific media recommendations for reed-stem Epidendrums?

How big a factor are temperature, day-length and light levels?

Are intergeneric crosses more likely to have low germination rates?

It is a ~10% germination rate of Epidendrum atacazoicum (bifalce) selfed that prompts my question.

It's a simple question, but I suspect the answer will be complex.

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Information here may be outdated?

K Barrett 18 years ago

I have no answers. Anyone else?

K Barrett

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Larry Dighera 18 years ago

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.

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K Barrett 18 years ago

{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.)

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Savor 18 years ago

Larry, I'm still a 'student' of hybridizing but a few things come to mind. This may be elementary info for ya'll. If you repeat that cross, try soaking the pollinia in *enzymatic* contact lens cleaner for about 5 minutes. No need to rinse. The solution removes the protein covering making the pollen more available. Use a bloom for the parent side that has opened between 24 and 48 hours. Leave the pollen intact on the receiving bloom. The bloom stays receptive longer. I cannot share a formula for Epi media but of course that could be the problem. Use 'people' temps 65-75F to maintain the flasks. (Although some use higher fluctuations). In the primary/mother flask I put them in low light on an eight hour timer.

Thanks for asking the question. I hope many with experience do contribute. I'll be reading... and learning, Lee (in HHI, SC)

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