I'm not sure if this is the best category, but I don't see one or plant breeding.

I've been thinking about the idea of using mutation breeding to see if one could form interesting new characteristics?
Obviously many of the mutation methods are difficult and involve non-trivial hazards. The main categories seem to be Chemical and Radiation.

The question is what specific method would be useful to create the specific useful visual variations (we want visual changes, not necessarily changes in vigor or resistances as commercial breading seems to be for) in ornamental plants like varigation, flower color or form etc.
Additionally there is colchicine treatments to rise the ploidy levels, this seems to mainly effect the size of some plant characteristics, (thicker leaves, maybe larger flowers).

Just some thoughts of mine. I'm wondering if anyone else has thought about it or has knowledge on the subject.

PlattMatt, I am known for my playing with plants and it's not liked by some folks
at all. I have played with crosses that are frond upon like Brugmansia X Daturas
and have gotten a ration of crap about it. I have also been playing with variegations
and that is another no no when you create an albino. I have visited a tissue culture
lab with has put me on the path to cloning and wishing to learn more about tissue
culture. But since that is out of my price range I just play. My latest is Alutilon Red
Tiger X A. Hot Pink of which I have an awesome plant. Some of the blooms start
out like Red Tiger but then turn into this awesome pink.



Leaves from the Red Tiger and the new plant, forgot to get the
Hot Pink leaf leave before I stripped her to go inside.


The bloom as it matures.




If you can zoom in and see the difference in the buds and blooms
you will see it's transformation.




The three year old Mom plant that is now inside!


If you are going to play 'God' as some state do select the best of the plants you can
afford to play with. I too would like a Hybridizer forum!! Ya know if it wasn't for some
of us that hybridize there wouldn't be new varieties of plants.

With that said, in about a month I'll be looking for plant testers on the about plant
seeds. It would be a two year commitment.......more later.

My objection is to "non-trivial hazards" like chemicals, radiation (and viruses). Clone and hybridize all you want but leave the non-trivial hazards out.

karmahappytoes:
Thanks for chiming in. It sounds like you are doing hybridization. So Brugmansia and Daturas are both in the Datureae Tribe. So they are slightly less related than similar genus.
I am curious as to what you mean with playing with variegation and albino's?

DaisyI:
I think at this point the question is theoretically what would need to be done. After that would come the practical aspects. I'm interested in these issues precisely because few other use it. Most dangerous processes can be done safely if the proper precautions are taken. The key part being that to meet the requirement on needs the knowledge, equipment, training etc. Absolutely any genuine experimenter would have to undertake the experiment with the utmost gravity.

Just don't turn your neighborhood into a superfund sight. And maybe read some of the regulations governing such adventures.

I'm sorry but there is no way an amateur botanist can contain any of the experiments you are proposing. All those experiments are being conducted in labs using gene sequencing, gene replacement and tissue culture.

Miss Daisyi, As a retired educator here, I have worked with some of the DOE and Feds on their Superfund
sites locally and I'm sorry to say what we do here wouldn't classify as one!! Even the county has tested
the local stormwater and found nothing to speak of due to how things are used and disposed per their
lax regulations. I know more about the regulations then most citizens of this area and when the County
subs being told by the state that they have to so something and they refuse there are groups that support
the mandates, we make them comply! If not their goes their funding. I am a very vocal Community Activist
that changes their regulations as you put it. I am also the lady that JT has posted about in the Brugmansia
forum with my work with crossing Brugmansia X Datura and Datura X Brugmansia as I was give a copy of
the 1940s studies that was done by a University group. But my selections of tissue culture plants which is
supposed to be a better plant than just a common one will not be taken seriously by the society.

PlantMatt, In my crosses of the Brugmansia X Datura or Datura X Brugmansia I have been able to produce
albino of which they will not live due to the lack of green for those that are not educated to what is needed to
survive. I have gotten some albinos to grow and flower and seedpods. But again it's frond upon and there
is no money in them per the experts, a total waste of time. I currently have this one in the greenhouse just
watching and learning from it.







Here is another photo of an albino sport that was allowed
to bloom and go to seed. It produced all abino seedlings that
we watch slowly die.

But we have cross variegated plants and solids to products
some of our crosses that have been registered. I test plants
for other hybridizers besides my own.