Colchicine-Treated Orchids:Originally published in the Awards Quarterly June 2000

摘要

IN THE RECENT PAST, THERE HAS been a relative flurry of discussion within various orchid-growing circles regarding the presence of colchicine-treated plants and their place in orchid competitions. The AOS judging system falls under this broad and varied umbrella, warranting further discussion among our members.The issue at hand concerns what some j people feel to be an unfair advantage ! conferred upon orchids treated with ; colchicine at very young stages of development. This advantage most obviously manifests itself when the plant flowers; is increased, and,in many cases, color intensity as well as substance are also improved. All of these traits are, fortunately, held in high regard among orchid growers, thereby garnishing numerous awards for treated plants in a variety of forums, including the AOS judging system. Recent examples of this include an assortment of awards to a number of Dendrobium cuthbertsonii clones, which were treated with colchicine as seedlings, and were very likely tetraploid. Many of the recent awards conferred on phragmipediums canalso be attributed to colchicine treatment during the propagation phase. Changes in size, substance and color intensity have been astonishing, and so acknowledged by the AOS judges.