What should you pollinate?

[DaveW]

An interesting quote on preserving authentic habitat material by producing your own seed for distribution under the same collection numbers, from Cactus Explorer number 1

"Ideally, at least two plants (different clones) should be grown of identical origin, so that they may be cross-pollinated to obtain seed. Even better is to have at least three plants, in case one is lost, as even the best regulated collection can have unexpected failures. Don’t ever cross-pollinate two plants of the same species unless you are certain that they come from the same population in the wild. To do so will create progeny that do not exist in the wild, as they would never have had a chance to be crossed in nature."

Or at least if you do don't pass them off as representing that collection number.

[Onzuka]

It's difficult to fault if you intend to absolutely replicate the orinal field number material. Exactly how you would guarrantee (sp) this if you had other plants of the same species in a close location, I do not know. Pollenating insects seem to get everywhere. For a specialised set up it should be easy enough. The best thing, although it could be a dream, would be to preserve the genetic purity of the habitat populations.

[peterb]

Mesa Garden uses cages made of coat hangers and window screen to prevent pollination and a very detailed paint brush system with masking tape, field number, etc. Also, a double screen door system to try to keep bees and other pollinators out.

peterb

[Saxicola]

Or at least if you do don't pass them off as representing that collection number.

That's exactly what I was thought when reading that. There is absolutely nothing wrong crossing two plants from two different (or even unknown) origins so long as you don't label it with a collection number and you aren't doing it as part of a wild reintroduction program.

[CactusFanDan]

I've been thinking about this lately, since I'm growing a vast number of Eriosyce from different localities. I don't really want to produce a number of strange and 'unnatural' hybrids. I've seen that rose breeders use paintbrushes and plastic bags with extensive labelling to make sure they know what's happened. Pollinators are another factor, though. Someone needs to breed a race of smart pollinators.

Ideally, I guess the best case scenario would be to label the seeds with the details of the parents if you're making crosses by hand, but that's very labour intensive.

[majcka]

What we shoul or shouldn't do is hard to talk about here. If I have two (or even more) flowering plants and I do the pollination myself, I have at least a slightest idea what I did. If an outsider pollinator do it instead of me, I don't have even that much of idea. So in the first place I shouldn't even have flowering cacti in the same place (in my case that is a GH). Or I should cover them with something so pollinators couldn't reach them.

Soooo. I cross pollinate whenever I see whatever and wait what happened. And I never give seeds with any field number. So i guess it is OK. And beyond that no cacti are native here.

[Saxicola]

I've been thinking about this lately, since I'm growing a vast number of Eriosyce from different localities. I don't really want to produce a number of strange and 'unnatural' hybrids. I've seen that rose breeders use paintbrushes and plastic bags with extensive labelling to make sure they know what's happened. Pollinators are another factor, though. Someone needs to breed a race of smart pollinators.

Ideally, I guess the best case scenario would be to label the seeds with the details of the parents if you're making crosses by hand, but that's very labour intensive.

Crossing two plants of the same species from different localities is a far cry from rose hybridization. Roses may be one of the most heavily hybridized plants there is, and it has been going on for hundreds of years. Most true species roses have a simple pink or white flower with 5 petals. In fact, you really aren't making a hybrid if you are just doing a simple cross of two individuals from different locals.

[CactusFanDan]

I wasn't really making a comparison of the two, I was merely saying that's a good way to know what you're getting. I want to know what seeds I end up getting. Personally, I'd rather have seeds with a known heritage than seeds just labelled by species. It's not imperative, but it's more ideal. Really, a hybrid can refer to crossing any two parents with different traits, whether they be different cultivars, individuals from different populations, species or subspecies.