Hello kokoro-ai,

In the historic experiments by Gregor Mendel, the pea bloom color was controlled by a single gene, so the color of the hybrid was determined by the dominant gene.

In many flowers, the colors are determined by multiple genes, so the color of a hybrid is more complicated. It isn't exactly like mixing paint, but sometimes it seems so. For example, if you cross a pink zinnia with a white zinnia you usually get a light pastel pink zinnia. In that case, it looks like mixing paint. But it is a case of multiple genes determining the color, as can be seen by growing out the F2 progeny of such a cross, in which you might see a large variety of different pinks.

If you would like clarification on some aspects of this subject, feel free to respond with a follow-up message here in this thread that you have started. I mention that, because in two other threads that you have posted, Quick blooming flowers and Cross-breeding flowers of different genera?, you did not make any response to the answers, which leaves in question whether you even read the answers.

I think it is a good idea to at least acknowledge that you have read the answer or answers, and if you have any point or points that you want clarified, to ask. Good communication is served if there is dialog between the person asking the questions and the people answering the questions.

Unfortunately, this Hybridizing Forum has a relatively low level of participation compared to many other forums here, so it is perfectly understandable that you didn't realize that some kind of acknowledgment to an answer, if even only a simple "Thank you", is a friendly response to the person who has taken the time to compose a message to you.

And usually our answers aren't so good that some kind of follow-up question can't benefit you. It is to your benefit if more than one person answers your question, and that is more likely to happen if you have a reputation for responding to answers.

You are a relatively new member here on the Garden Web, so as one member to another, let me welcome you to these forums.

MM

You've cleared up my questions, and those of my friends as well.
I'm running quite of few experiments right now, and you've always been there to give an answer or explanation to us. I usually just have time to read and go, therefore haven't had time to thank you completely. I'd like to apologize for not responding previously, and thank you for all your responses, you've really helped us along.

If I have anymore questions I'll be sure to ask them, and make a note of following up on them.

Thank you again!

Kokoro-ai,

You are welcome. I understand how busy you can get and not have time to compose messages. When you get time, some of us would be interested in a report about your experiments.

MM

Hi, I am not the original poster of the question, but I am very interested in this topic. Are there any good books or web sites that explain the theory and practice of hybridizing?

I have read "Breeding New Plants and Flowers." In fact, it is right beside me right now (I checked it out from our library), but while it gives good examples, the technical part is not very clear to me. The analogy of children with different-color clothing is confusing to me. I think an analogy of interracial marriage would be closer.

I have also read the other popular one, I forgot the exact title, something like "Breeding new vegetable and ornamental plants." It was through interlibrary loan, but I forgot the content now. If I remember correctly, it was rather dated.

I am interested in learning more about what possibilities can you get when you cross two different type of flowers, and then from the next generation, how do you choose to self cross, or cross with another, or cross with the parent. This part is not clear to me.

Thank you very much in advance!

Dave,

Charles Welch's allegory of the children and clothes is a little confusing. I think he was just saying that random recombinations of many genes occur in the production of a new fertilized egg.

In plant breeding we do have to deal with random processes involving many different genes and the reality becomes quite complicated. We can attempt to guide the process with our crossing strategies, but we have no direct control over what happens at the cellular level, unless we apply some of the new genetic engineering techniques, and even they experience considerable uncertainty. We can throw various things into the mix, but random processes determine what comes out.

The book, Breeding Ornamental Plants is pretty good. You can use Amazon's Search Inside feature to sample various topics within the book. It's a bit tedious, but it lets you read a good sample of the book before you buy it. I don't know why Amazon's prices are so high on this book. The cover sheet on my copy has a $34.95 list price on it, but I bought it new from one of the AbeBooks vendors for about $15.

I recently ordered the paperback version of Flower Breeding and Genetics from Amazon. Apparently there is some delay in shipping it and I may not get it until March sometime. You can also use Amazon's Search Inside feature to read samples of that book. It has some advanced content and some good content, including a chapter on zinnia breeding.

Genetics can be as complicated as you want it to be, and can become college level rather easily. But you can practice it in your own garden on a "by guess and by golly" basis. That can be fun without a lot of study.

MM

Thanks MM. The Michigan State University (about 50 minutes from my place) has the two books you mentioned. Normally I can check their books out through interlibrary loan, but these two are out and due till July. I think some professors have them on reserved.

I might go and just read them there. Gas is expensive nowadays, but it is still cheaper than buying both books before seeing them. :-)

I love libraries!

Dave,

"Gas is expensive nowadays, but it is still cheaper than buying both books before seeing them."

Well, you can use your Internet browser to save your gas money. As I mentioned, you can use Amazon's "Search Inside" feature to read extensively inside a book for free. Just use the Table of Contents display and/or the Index display to locate key words that interest you and jot down the page numbers that contain them. Then use the Search Inside's search utility to search for page numbers that contain that word.

Based on the page number you jotted down, you can then select and read a page. There are arrows on the left and right margins of the page that let you read one or two pages to the left and right. It's not as easy as leafing through the pages of a real book but, when Amazon's "Search Inside" feature is available, you can get a good sampling of a book's content that way. And save gas money.

MM

Yes, I am browsing at Amazon now. Thanks.

Btw, does anyone know how the posting are sorted on this forum? On other forums on gardenweb, it seems like they are sorted by date of last posts. On this particular one (hybridizing), I just can't tell how it is done.

For example, here is the listing I am seeing now:

World-renounded Hybridizer Wrote a Book
Posted by: neoaddict on Sat, Jan 12, 08 at 21:51

F2 Heuchera seeds available
Posted by: sambal z8 Seattle WA on Thu, Jan 10, 08 at 15:41

Dianthus Morden Pinks
Posted by: sambal z8 Seattle WA on Wed, Dec 19, 07 at 16:19

Has anyone crossed Eupatorium maculatum with E. coelestinium?
Posted by: dandy_line 4a-Mn on Sun, Nov 25, 07 at 10:54

Making hibiscus tetraploids with Surflan + Schizopetalus seed
Posted by: brianmkerr S/CoastQLD Aust on Thu, Nov 22, 07 at 19:29

Crossbreeding plants of different color?
Posted by: kokoro-ai on Sat, Dec 8, 07 at 23:45
7 follow-ups, last one posted on Tue, Jan 29, 08 at 14:58

You can see that it is not by posting date. So I don't know if I am seeing the lataest discussions.

Dave,

The unanswered postings stay at the top for an extra long time. I don't know what the exact formula is, but eventually they start to fall in the list even if they aren't answered. The answered topics are sorted by the date of the last answer.

MM