Seed vs Pollen Parent
 

From time to time someone asks whether it makes a difference which plant you use as pod or pollen parent.

There is no universal answer, as the genetic dominance varies, when a plant is used as either pod or pollen parent. However, the short answer is, that it can make a significant difference.

Here are two photos of Renanetia Sunrise (= Neofinetia falcata x Renanthera imschootiana).

The first photo is from a plant with structure like an oversized NF, and flower structure very similar to NF also.

Over the last 3 years, Exotic Orchids has released seedlings from a remake, but clearly with the Renanthera as the pod parent. Plants have short stubby leaves, with leaves spaced further apart. I have now bloomed the first one, and the flowers are much closer to the R imschootiana parent also.

They sure do look quiet different. Interesting.

Took me a few tries to find this in the international orchid register since it is now listed as Renantanda Sunrise. Guess it depends on whether you're willing to change your Neofinetia label. :)

The remake definitely looks more like Renanthera imschootiana from your photo. You said that you bloomed the first one? Does that mean you have more of these? If so, I would be very interested to see how the other seedlings bloom to see if they also take after the Renanthera parent.

I have now bloomed half a dozen, all are very close to Renanthera in appearance.

In other genera it is believed that cytoplasmic DNA plays a role in the result. So it comes as no surprise that selecting which is the female and which is the male makes a difference.

In general does the plant phenotype favors the pod parent where as flower phenotype is the same?

Very cool example, Kim!

In addition to cytoplasmic inheritance, the gene expression patterns can be influenced via epigenetics. For example, mammals and plants can show something called genomic imprinting. For a few autosomal genes (i.e. each gene has 2 copies; one from mom and the other from dad), the expression of the gene copy depends on whether it comes from mom or dad. So the parent marks their genes when they are producing sperms and eggs (for example, methylation of DNA). Some of imprinted genes are expressed when they are from moms, and other imprinted genes are expressed when they are from dads. Generally, these imprinted genes are important in early developments (than later stages in life), though. But there are examples of transgenerational inheritance of epigenetics (including in some human diseases).