How Is Orchid Hybridization Done? Keep These Precautions in Mind

1. Before hybridizing, the pollen parent and seed parent should be chosen carefully. If the origin is unknown or the correctness of the variety is in doubt, hybridization should not be carried out, otherwise the variety system will be thrown into confusion, genetic judgment will be affected, and it will have no value in breeding academia.

　　

2. If the orchid plant is not robust enough, do not force hybridization, because after successful hybridization, nutrient consumption is extremely heavy and the plant body is easily damaged. If hybridization can be carried out, one should not be greedy for more crosses either; generally 2-3 is appropriate, and it is best to make only 1 cross. In this way nutrients are concentrated, which helps the capsule develop.

　　

3. Not every hybridization can succeed smoothly. Factors such as poor hybridization technique, pollen that is not mature enough, or inadequate care during the cultivation process can all lead to failure, and may even result in a capsule being formed but with no seeds inside. In addition, factors such as the complex strain lines among the various orchid genera, the maturity of the orchid plant, and the season and time of hybridization will all affect the success or failure of the cross.

　　

4. After a certain variety is used as the seed parent for hybridization, it will gradually decline and die, or the flowering quality of the following year will be affected. If this phenomenon occurs, that variety is not suitable to be used as the seed parent and can only be used as the pollen parent.

　　

5. Orchids all have fixed hereditary characteristics. During hybridization, regardless of how large or small the flowers are, the offspring produced in the future will inherit the characteristics of the parents; it will not be that because the flowers were smaller at the time of hybridization, the flowers will also become smaller in the future.

　　

6. When pollinating for hybridization, be sure to clearly record the names of the pollen parent and seed parent, hang on a name tag, and note the hybridization time as a reference for sowing.