Bobbi! And I hope that from time to time you will let us know about your progress on this most interesting project!!!

Welcome Bobbi, Keep us updated on your progress.

Bobbi!!!

The conversion process interests me very much. I can't help thinking that there must be a better way. However, when I search I usually only find that daylily converters are held up as examples of how it is done! Having played with colchicine in doing karyology, it stops the chromosomes from separating in mitosis after splitting and makes them easier to see and count and examine their structure. Some can painfully small and difficult to see.
I suppose the obvious reason it is so complicated is because you can't just soak seeds in colchicine - cultivar daylilies don't breed true.
Has tissue culture in colchicine been tried?

Gleni said:
Has tissue culture in colchicine been tried?

Yes tissue culture has been done and is still being done and it is something people try to stay away from!!! A lot of plants do great with tissue culture and can be even better than the mother plants the tissue came from. HOWEVER, with daylilies it tends to bring out the flaws and weaknesses of the plant. It can be done but it is one that a person really has to evaluate the tissue cultured plants to make sure they are exactly like and up to par to the mother plant which who knows how long that would really take.

Thanks Michelle. That is very interesting.

Are there any people out there who will try the conversion process on my plants? Does anyone know who to contact and what it might cost? Is there any information on which cultivars may have already been converted and where to find them?

I'm really curious if any of the species plants were converted and who has some to sell???

All I know to do is email those who you know do conversions and see if they have an answer. I'm sure when Fred (Spunky1) sees this he will answer since he gets conversions done.

Those to email or call

Bill Waldrop- go to this link for contact info http://www.kennesawmountainday...
Larry Grace- http://www.gracelandgardens.co... after going to website click on multiple orders and shipping for his contact info
Jamie Gossard- http://www.daylilynet.com/orde...
Dan Trimmer- http://trimmerdaylily.com/info...

You could ask them for names of others who do convertions

I'm sure it's not cheap to have someone do it for you plus there is no guarantee it will work and there is no guarantee all of your plants won't be killed.

I don't think there is a list anywhere with converted plants, but you could ask those above if they know. Also, what you can do is google for example Tetra or Tet or Tet conversion Rose F Kennedy and usually anywhere that mentions it will come up. Try this with the ones you are wanting to see if they have been converted.

This was pretty interesting. http://www.patriotdaylilysocie... This was done back in 2006 (I'm assuming by the copyright date) and Doorakian pretty much does the opposite of what everyone else I know does.

Doorakian waters the plant frequently especially the day before the process and during the process.
He also says the plant should have more than one fan (desirable but not necessary) so the fan that is left intact can nourish the treated one, most everyone else uses a SF only and I know Bill Waldrop cuts away any increases popping up as he says this will more than likely terminate the conversion effort.

Doorakian cuts out the center of the daylily (which to me is the growing tip that others say not to cut too much off of)


If anyone has a copy of the fall 2003 Daylily Journal there is an article on "Colchicine Conversion By Injection" I only know of one person who has done this, not sure if he still does and how effective it is versus the other way.

Gary Schaben was doing (or is still doing) scape conversions. Here's the link to the Ontario Daylily Society article from 2002 about it http://www.ontariodaylily.on.c...

Stamile had an article in the I believe the 1990 Daylily Journal Volume 45 (not sure which one this actually is since I don't have that one)

FYI, I notice that Bob Selman is selling quiet a few conversions on the LA.
Just use description in the drop down box and type in conversion in the search box.

Good information -- Thanks Mike!

wow, great ....

I have just this very interesting topic found. Thanks to all for the many information. Since last year, I also do experiments and experiences with conversion. Here in Germany it is very difficult to earn colchicine. For industry, it is to get, but I'm just a private person. So I made ​​from Autumn Crocus a brew, I use it. I use the broth for germ Lige treat. DMSI I do not use. But my seedlings show a reaction. You have a delayed growth and look swollen from. I am curious if this fertile tetraploid will be.










han

I was present at one of the Suwannee Valley Daylily Society meetings where Elizabeth Salter showed us all how to do a dip to tet conversion using the Colchicine. I haven't read the article(s) linked in this thread but what she did was to apply 3 drops every day for 3 - 4 days. She didn't say how she determines she'll do it for 3 days or 4 & we asked; she just kind of shrugged & said something about sometimes she might forget a day accidentally or something to that effect. She also uses a clear shot glass which she turns upside down over the treated crown from the time of first treatment until the last treatment is finished. That is my memory of how long she leaves the shot glass on. At any rate, I wanted to let you know that she uses the Colchicine to do conversions at their place so you guys have another resource to ask about it.

I do recall she said it had to be a single fan. I am pretty sure she said if you left the other fan on there, it would die.

Ok so...to be perfectly clear, I don't care much for daylilys, tasty, but boring to me, remember, it takes all kinds...

I promise I've done my time!

I've planted thousands of fans, watched em become hefty patches, patches that required an iron digger bar to extract them from the earth!

At any rate...
My interest in this thread is the chems!

My father was a university scientist, years ago I learned of colchicine, and asked him about it, we both taught the other a few things, namely he told me that the uni had halted use of colchicine for various health related reasons.

They had in fact replaced it's use with nitrous oxide, they would grow plants in hyperbaric chambers, regularly introducing nitrous in specific concentrations, in his experience, they saw more value able mutation with its use!

I wonder if anyone here has any experience with that?

I assume it really tough for individuals to acquire nitrous, but they use it in cats all the time so maybe not!
The health risks of exposure to it is certainly reduced when compared to colchicine...

I've long desired to create my own hybrids!
Not daylilys of course :)

I've managed a few exciting(to me atleast) crosses...nothing worth anything to anyone but me tho...

I've read up and down about using lab chems to create mutations, to be honest, it scares me!

I don't want to expose myself to mutagens!

I'm gunna read the linked articles, I'm sure there's much insight contained within...

Do you all feel safe and comfortable working with these reagents?

I also wonder if anyone has any info on colchicine use on other plants?

I'm specifically interested in using it on elephant ears and other aroids
Colocasia
Alocasia
Amorphophallus

Thanks folks!

Nitrous hard to acquire? How about a hyperbaric chamber? Really?

You don't have one laying around?!?

Hrm...maybe that's just me...

The whole enterprise is fairly duanting...

I suppose that's why this is normally done in a lab!

I suspect that the use of colchicine in Asia has caught on, there's so many mutated versions of plants I know being pumped out of tropical Asia now, it stands to reason they've been using it more.

I'd sure love to give it a whirl!