Just getting back to the computer and wanted to follow up on a posting
from 3 weeks ago.
Tim,
I am still new to hybridizing. But I've been asking questions for a
couple years having had the opportunity to talk to some world famous
hybridizers. A hybridizer may hope in crossing two orchids to get a
certain result. Then again at an enormous breeding greenhouse in
Taiwan it appeared as though every possible crossing had been made.
"A" x "B" and also "B" x "A". However the bottom line is that it is a
roll of the DNA. The infinite number of combinations of the ?millions
of seeds with the pollinia make every seedling unique. The offspring
may appear uniform even approaching identical. More commonly there
will be a wide array of seedlings. Within that range, the hybridizer
may find the wished for result.
The experts have advised me that for example if I want the result to
be fragrant, then let the fragrant orchid be the pod parent. For a
multifloral orchid it should also be used as the pod parent. The
growth habit of the pod parent will often be transmitted to the
offspring. I'm told yellow is also a recessive quality so it too may
be better used as pod parent.

When looking at a catalogue which displays pictures of the two parents
there is no artist concept illustrating the result. If we have access
to Orchidwiz or Wildcatt databases, it is possible to check the
lineage of each side of the cross. Hybrids can be traced back maybe 16
steps or more revealing the species originally crossed. This might
give glimpses of what might occur.
.
At the World Orchid Conference in January there was a research paper
posted from Taiwan which reported the genes responsible for blue and
fragrance had been located in a phal. That started me thinking. Will
we have designer orchids? The parents might be less relevant in DNA
manipulated orchids. How do you register such? New categories in
Judging. Could DNA altered orchids be crossed with 'normal'
hybrids......yikes!
Lee

On Jun 9, 3:02*pm, "Tim" wrote:
Hi gang.

Confused about pod parents. what trait/traits does the pod parent pass along
to the seedling? *The size or color of the lip, overall color? *When I see
two pictures of orchids that have been crossed, what exactly am I looking
for? *Are the traits the same for all alliances? *Googled this to no avail,
unless I've been using the incorrect terms.

Thanks,

Tim