Kovachii backcross seedlings

[monocotman]

Just potted up yesterday. A set of 6 large seedlings from Manolo Arias when he visited Germany recently.
The postal system seems to have worked well and the seedlings seem to be healthy.
Parentage is ( besseae x kovachii) x kovachii.
Each seedling is quite a clump with several growths.
They look quite mature for seedlings in flask.
They are potted into a mix of NZ sphagnum and perlite.
I am sitting a plastic bag over them until they hopefully start to grow.
They will have to grow with the rest of the phrags in the kitchen.
This is my first attempt at seedlings so fingers crossed.
I could not resist the offer of this cross.
It could be years before plants are available in Europe.

https://flic.kr/p/N2EbzZ

Wish me luck,

David

 

[phraggy]

I wish you all the luck in the world with them David. They look very good and hopefully will only look better as time goes by.

Ed

 

[Secundino]

Fingers crossed and all the luck in the world for you!

 

[NYEric]

Phrag. Apollo Yay besseae hybrids! Good luck.

 

[gonewild]

Are the clumps actually single plants?

 

[theorchidzone]

kovachii are tricky in flask as they tend to proliferate rather than form discrete plantlets. No such problem with Fritz Schomburg. However, given this is 75% kovachii, probably the same phenomenon. Those look big enough to "grow out of it"

 

[Ray]

Doesn't that suggest there is something in the medium that is "turning on" that activity, or something missing that allows proper differentiation?

 

[theorchidzone]

Yes. But it is not a particularly easy problem to solve.
We are able to make plantlets but they are slow when we impose those conditions.
JC

Doesn't that suggest there is something in the medium that is "turning on" that activity, or something missing that allows proper differentiation?

 

[Ray]

No doubt it's not easy!

Orchids are such "niche creatures," each with very specific cultural needs and relationships, it's pretty amazing we do as well as we are.

 

[littlefrog]

In my experience it isn't just kovachii that proliferates in flask but also schlimii. And its hybrids. For example I purchased one flask of Hanne Popow many years ago and I must have made replates out of it (and replates of replates) at least a dozen times.

Perhaps it is something about that section of Phrags that leads to proliferation.

 

[abax]

I looooove seeing those healthy babies. I will definitely
try to live long enough to see some flowers.

 

[monocotman]

Thanks for all the comments.
The seedlings certainly appear big enough to have a good chance of survival.
So far so good.
Will keep you all posted.
David

 

[NYEric]

Speaking of back crosses, does anyone know what Fritz Schomburg x besseae is named?

 

[terryros]

That was registered, and named for himself by Robert-Jan Quene, the PhD horticulturalist who worked for Orchids Limited for a number of years up until last year.

The cross that Robert registered was made with the tetraploid besseae 'Rob's Choice', which definitely influenced its shape and color.

You can find Robert's post on Slippertalk just searching, probably just on his last name.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Bjorn]

drorchid

 

[NYEric]

Thanks.

 

[phraggy]

Speaking of back crosses, does anyone know what Fritz Schomburg x besseae is named?

ERIC, A pic of Phrag RJQ. A much smaller plant than Fritz and flatter!!

Ed

 

[Erythrone]

ERIC, A pic of Phrag RJQ. A much smaller plant than Fritz and flatter!!

Ed

Cutie!

 

[trdyl]

ERIC, A pic of Phrag RJQ. A much smaller plant than Fritz and flatter!!

Ed

Such glowing color!

 

[NYEric]

Thanks.