First embryo germination success

I’m glad you’ve got a new place to resume the work you love. Baby steps are still steps! Doing “Your Best” is a bell-curve, so don’t do yourself worse by pushing too hard. I hope your revised plans with those saved hips yield joyful results. Keep us posted!

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I’m wishing you success with all your new endeavors. :heart:

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I extracted embryos from seeds of 3 different rosehips 4 days ago, and these embryos from one rosehip started to germinate very fast. I planted 2 of them in container today. this time I soaked potting soil with cyantraniliprole to prevent fungus gnat fly. I hope they survive.

I put them under horticultural lamp 10 hours a day and the Lux was about to 10k.
and I also washed embryos with a few drops of fresh tap water and drained it once every two days.

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Follow up update:
I extracted 10 embryos totall last time.

1/10 of extracted embryos turned green, but it seemed damaged when i extracted it. after the testa swelled the embryo got disassembled itself.





↑5/10 of extracted embryos started to develop root without removing testa in 7 days.
I removed testa when I plant them on pot.
here are photo of 5 seedlings now up there.


↑4/10 of embryos remained very still even after weeks. so I scratched testa of two embryos with sharp pincet, and those scratched embryos started to turn green and swell after a week.
what you see up there is photo of those 2 embryos I scratched(one already planted and one swelling).


↑2 embryos I didn’t scratch remain still yet.

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I have had the supreme luck of getting a singular stanwell perpetual seed this year. I am very aware these are as rare as hens teeth & unlikely to germinate without embryo culture. In the past the testa was my enemy… hopefully with your posts to help me I can avoid dealing with it!

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When you say cut through, is that with the nail clippers or is the outside then soft enough to use a sharp blade?

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Hi

I use cuticle clippers to cut through the hard parts. I try to apply them in a way so that it sort of pries the seed open. Some clipping, scraping and cutting in a good lighting and under a magnifying glass is often necessary before the prying may happen (also to figure out where the suture lies and how to apply the clippers). I attach a picture of the tools I use for this.

When I start extracting seeds too early and the ring fibres are still prominent, I start loosing embryos. I have not been very successful in cutting through those. It is possible though and I guess its a question about practice and building up skills.

Hjörtur

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@James_D to crack open the pericarp, I use the bottom tool labeled “Nail Care”. It was a game changer for me after trying nail clippers. Use it to cut along the suture and it usually can be pulled apart into the two halves

After I separate the testa from the pericarp, I use a utility knife replacement blade to cut a slit in the testa along one side and the top. Use the tip of the blade to hold the slit open then I “roll” the embryo away from the slit. It rips the testa and usually the embryo just pops out

I have yet to lose a single embryo during testa removal since I started this method. I mainly lose them at the pericarp stage from crushing

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Will look into getting those particular nail clippings

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Can you clarify what you mean by the suture/show me please? :blush::folded_hands:

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Hello James_D, below you will find a nice grafic. It is taken from Donald J. Holeman’s publication (first edition 2009), Simple Embryo Culture for Plant Breeders.

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The seeds I’ve performed embryo extraction on have sutures that are not so obvious as the photo Don shows. But here is a good example. Generally looks like a line where the two halves meet.

I will use the clippers to cut along this line. Starting from the flat end and working my way down either side toward the pointed end. I do not cut across the pointed end to avoid damaging the radicle.

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Thank you very much, I will continue practicing… hopefully being successful on the rare seeds

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