New Success with Embryo Culture

A new one I've managed to get going via embryo culture This brings me to three successful embryo cultures now.

This one was extracted a week ago today will be potted into a larger pot and placed outside with the rest of the seedlings tomorrow This one was born by C-section. The seed was cracked open and the embryo cultured aseptically and then transferred to sterile potting mix. It is now exactly one week old and is not receiving any special treatment now that it is living in a non-aseptic environment though it still has a coating of Mancozeb on it from the embryo culture jar

This one is Rosa longicuspis var. sinowilsonii x 'Violette'

I need to keep reminding myself why I did this cross because it seems like such a stupid cross on paper The rationale was that sinowilsonii is huge and 'Violette' has been used in making small roses like 'Sweet Chariot' and so may have a taming effect on it. The bush will still be huge but maybe not as huge as its Mum who grew to 8-10ft high and wide in its first season in the ground. 'Violette' is carrying rebloom as it has given rise to remontant roses such as 'Sweet Chariot' so there is an outside (remote) chance it will also rebloom as rebloom has been encountered in F1 species cross seedlings before. 'Violette' and sinowilsonii are both diploid so there is a certain level of compatibility already there (hopefully). 'Violette' and sinowilsonii are both very fertile and hopefully the progeny will also prove fertile for future breeding (many F1 species crosses prove to have limited fertility when mated with moderns). And finally... both sinowilsonii and 'Violette' grow really well on their own roots and strike like weeds. If it can make it past this stage I am predicting a large rambler, hopefully with semi-double medium sized flowers. They will probably be pink but I'd be happy with white and stoked with purple like 'Violette'. It will probably be super thorny like Mum, however, 'Violette' is pretty much thornless so with any luck it will be less dangerous than sinowilsonii in this dept. Both sinowilsonii and 'Violette' are highly fragrant roses so I am hoping it will also be fragrant

Doesn't look much like a house eater at this point (photo taken yesterday).

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Taken a few minutes ago in its 'culture jar'. Medicine cups work perfectly

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This one is not doing so well. It's an OP Flower Carpet 'Coral' seedling extracted at the same time. I damaged the cotyledon during the extraction and it looks to be infected. A few sprays of Mancozeb has killed the fungus around the wound and the terminal bud seems to be swelling ok... with any luck it will win the race against the mould as it is now on its own.

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