Since lilies from distant crosses have a high tendency to produce 2n gametes, have any experienced hybridizers produced viable tetraploid or triploid seeds from any crosses using diploid or tetraploid OT/LO/LA/etc. parents? It is possible to germinate the resulting seeds naturally and without any laboratory techniques like embryo rescue/culture?

I have best germination sowing 4n seeds having them in a cup of water for 2-3 days changing water 2 times a day. It's possible to get seeds when crossing 4n OT x 4n trumpets, 2n OT x 2n trumpets, LO x 4n OT, LO x 4n orientals, LA x (4n?) asiatics. The old OTs have poor fertility but newer hybrids can produce many seeds in every pods. My best advice is to use mixed pollen from 10 different lilies.

Thanks for the reply, Øystein! Crossing lilies with a goal in mind is rather different from the pollen dabbing I've been doing, I have found.

I've done some literature reading for lily cytogenetics, and most of the authors cultured their embryos. So, I've been confused about distant crosses like OT's, LA's, and LO's.

From what I've read, it's best to put 4N pollen on triploids and it may be possible to get seeds. Sometimes I try to think with goals like for instance I have a beautiful LO called Pink Heaven which is supposedly 4N. So I figured that if I put some of that pollen on Easter Morn (trumpet x Longiflorum) I may get something due to a common grandparent. We'll see what happens in the fall.

Lilium genetics are funny like that. But never say never, you never know when you'll get seed. But a good goal to me, would not only come up with something nice to look at but also strong genetically, long lasting and virus resistant and or tolerant. So putting those traits in the so called "mix" is a good thing.

Joe, is that what "bridging" is?

Tracey, lily beetle and virus tolerance are on the top of my list of traits to breed for! I'm building up my pool of knowledge and collecting lilies for genetic diversity in the meanwhile.