"Barry Gardner" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> spaketh thusly: >I have been flasking "Specie Orchids " for about 10 years >(I do a small amount of Hybrids but not too often.)
Yes, well. Even the best of us stumble sometimes. In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Kýrie, eléison. >Most of my work in the lab is a hobby and I grow for the >local West Australian Species Orchid Society. > >I have over come most problems that we all experience, but >I am hoping that some fellow growers have an answer for me >regarding "Prolification" a problem that Im sure most >experience from time to time. > >I replate and place between 10 and 14 protcorms at the most >and if were to increase to 20 I woudnt be worried, but when >they multiply to 40/50, well thats another story. And we're all about different stories here on the OGD. Group hug, everyone! We love you all! >I have tried 1/. about 10 different mediums, 2./ More Light >(I have them in a inside lab using 50% Gloflux, and 50% >Cool tubes) 3./ less light.4./ vented and no vent,5./ >replate 2 or 3 times, still the problem) 6./ swapped to >another medium.and it still goes on. > >Any help I can recieve on this matter would be most >appreciated. Ah, yes. The perpetually perplexing problem of proliferation. Perhaps pontification shall supplant serious exercise as in experimentation. The first major question is- which genera? I'm not big on the Odontoglossum-group orchids as a whole, but understand them to be troublesome. I do see this in a number of oncidiums and tolumnias to a lesser degree, and wonder if temperature isn't a problem with some of these guys. In other words, proliferation is a function of temperatures being too high. Y'all will understand when I say I get this problem a lot here in Phoenix. Of course, we'd all like a chemical control. Use the right medium, and- hey, presto- no more proliferation. Or, at least, not after we take the BAP away, right? Har har. It has been suggested that proliferation indicates the medium is too concentrated, and that a more dilute substrate should be used. But, hey- herd mentality is so 2004. I'd try more *concentrated* media to see what happens- although I can't see as this would work with all orchids. Polyrrhiza lindenii multiplies with absolutely no exogenous hormones like a "Jiffy Pop" on the stovetop as flasks get stale and dry and more concentrated. Very odd like that. I've also tried adenine 6-aminopurine sulfate, with remarkable results: none of the flasks to which I added adenine displayed any sort of protocorm multiplication. Of course, none of the controls in the experiment did, either (about 6-12 different genera, if memory serves). However, the experimental group promised me they were on their very best behavior, and wouldn't even *think* about multiplying without a license. Then, when I wasn't looking, they broke out and stole my car. So there's that. Another experiment involved sorbitol replacing sucrose as the carbon source; I think the experiment ran as follows: 1) Control (sucrose + banana powder) 2) Experimental: sorbitol + banana powder 3) Experimental: sorbitol, no banana powder where "banana powder" = PhytoTech B852 = 50/50 freeze-dried banana + malto-dextrin. The results, once again, were remarkable: no protocorm multiplication in the experimental groups. These results should be tempered by the fact that none of the experimental group underwent substantial protocorm multiplication, either. At that point, I went out back and practiced my batting with a few extra flasks. The act of observing and all that indeed. Personally, I'd suggest giving up normal orchids and switching to paphs. Apparently, achieving protocorm multiplication in paphs merits publication these days. Turn that vexing problem into a scientific paper of success! Cheers, -AJHicks Chandler, AZ _______________________________________________ the OrchidGuide Digest (OGD) [email protected] http://orchidguide.com/mailman/listinfo/orchids_orchidguide.com
