First attempt a propagating Dryopteris Erythrosora 'Brilliance'
images show the mature parent fern / dried fronds / detacted spores and debris
Spore culture, Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance' [Autumn Fern]
07/04/23 - spores disseminated on a bed of worm castings & misted
07/31/23 - prothalli appeared (day 28)
09/29/23 - first ferns appeared (day 86)
11/28/23 - lead ferns about 5 cm tall
The culture was contaminated by moss but the ferns developed through the moss.
Spore culture, Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance' [Autumn Fern]
In July 2023, Autumn fern fronds were cut for a flower arrangement.
The sori did not appear to be mature (green).
As the flower arrangement dried the Sori turned brown.
Q: Can sporangia mature as fronds dry out?
The drying fronds were put into an envelope for 4 days.
What appeared to be spores and sori were seen at the bottom of the envelope.
The chaf was separated and discarded and what appeared to be spores were dusted over a bed of worm castings and misted.
Question: Is it possible to induce the maturation of fern spores by drying out fronds if they collected prematurely.
Answer: I have been unable to find any literature or reports from local experts that immature fertile fronds accelerate in their maturity if cut and dried. One possible explanation provided is that we might have collected the fronds just as they were beginning to mature.
This provides an opportunity for experimentation in the Spring of 2024.
emergence of gametophytes 30 d / first fertilized sporophytes 60 d/ tranplanting young ferns
Early growth / humidity chamber / continued growth 90 D
Spore culture, Dryopteris erythrosora 'Brilliance' [Autumn Fern]
After removing the humidity dome from a few ferns (1-2" tall) a few of them turned a grayish green and then developed brown edges. Consulting with experts a the American Fern Society and a local professional garden suggested either too rapid a hardening transition or possibly Foliar Nematodes. The ferns were submitted to the NS State laboratory for analysis on 1/16/24.
Report:
No foliar nematodes or other pathogens were found.
The potting mix had high levels of soluble salts.
- In the bulk, the EC was 1.30 mS/cm by the 2:1 method, the equivalent of a soluble salts index of 130. When from the other pot just the upper portion of the mix was tested (approximate depth of the roots), the EC measured 1.80 mS/cm (SSI of 180).
Possible source: fertilizer or water from water softener
Once the domes were removed, the transpiration rate increased.
- The pH of the media was also quite low (4.4-4.8), but I don't know what the acid tolerance is of this species.
Response
- The pots were irrigated with fertilizer-free water from a reverse osmosis system. Some plants survived and recovered. See last to images below, before and after irrigation.
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