A bit more published research on triploid and cross-ploidy pollinations in daylilies from:
Yike Gao, and Shuying Gao He Qi, 2012. A STUDY ON THE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN DIFFERENT PLOIDY CULTIVARS OF HEMEROCALLIS AND THE GENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THEIR HYBRIDS. Acta Hort. (ISHS) 937:547-554
Here are their important methods:
"Flower buds expected to open next day were emasculated and stigmas were
bagged to prevent self- and cross pollination. Diploids were crossed with diploids,
triploids and tetraploids respectively, by means of hand-pollination. One month later, the
number of fruits within every combination was counted and the seed-setting rate
calculated. Upon turning yellow and cracking from top, fruits were collected and number
of seeds counted, where-after the seed-setting rate was calculated as a percentage."
- by "emasculated" they mean the stamens were removed from the flower.
Below are some of their interesting findings:
There were 21 tetraploid x diploid crosses and 3 diploid x tetraploid crosses. A total of 360 flowers were pollinated and 39 pods produced with an average of 2.3 seeds.
There were 4 triploid x diploid crosses (total of 264 flowers pollinated, 5 pods in total, 20 seeds total - very unusually 13 seeds were in one pod and might best be discounted giving 4 pods and 7 seeds) and 2 diploid x triploid crosses (total of 296 flowers pollinated, 6 pods in total, 11 seeds total).
Important reminder: Arisumi found that even when seeds appeared normal the majority did not produce viable seedlings. The seeds produced by this research were not tested for germination so one cannot expect that 360 tetraploid - diploid pollinations would produce 90 seedlings or that 560 diploid-triploid pollinations would produce 18 seedlings. I would estimate that the tetraploid - diploid crosses might have produced 18 seedlings and that the diploid-triploid crosses might have produced 4 seedlings.
