Treated with oryzalin

[mook1178]

I am looking at an orchid nursery website and it says on some plants that they have been treated with Oryzalin for polyploid induction.

Can someone explain this to me?

I understand that polyploid means having more than two sets of paired chromosomes, but what is that going to do for me as a grower? Or is this something that is only applicable to hybridizers?

[MrHappyRotter]

As a very general statement, polyploid plants tend to have improvements in things like vigor, adaptability, flower quality, and/or flower size. In many orchids, there can be a substantial difference in flower size between 2n (normal, diploid) and 4n (polyploid) plants.

So, hobby growers and people who enjoy orchid flowers benefit from bigger blooms, sometimes more blooms, and better quality blooms. Hybridizers benefit from more awards and better quality breeding stock.

[mook1178]

Thank you for that response. I wasn't sure if it would affect the plant in a phenotypic way.