What does line-breeding actually mean?

[spujr]

This is an entertaining thread, thanks for everyone's input for a great read!

I agree with everything that was said but also wanted to share another perspective. When I was doing my MS degree in orchid breeding (tissue culture), my professor said that often times the elite x elite crosses yielded runts and other crosses yielded superior progeny. Of course I agree with the principle of elite x elite crosses, just saying that they might not always provide good results.

The paph genome is a bit of a mess in terms of breeding. They have leaky chromosomes that break and resemble in different arrangements, thus you don't always get the expected Mendellian inheritance.

I was curious if paphs suffer from inbreeding depression. Again great reading what everyone wrote.

 

[geoffsharris]

I just got a flask of your cross from Troy Meyers ('Inti' x 'Killa') Will let you know how it goes. I think the Fred Clarke version is seed, only replate most vigorous protocorms (cull rest), at replate only replate best, biggest growers (cull rest), deflask and only plant out most mature plants (cull rest), Let grow for several months and do a final cull of laggards. He gets plants that are easy to grow, vigorous and uniform both in his hands and for hobbyists. A crappy grower with great flowers is a total loser if you are a farmer of orchids.