Workgroup ‘New Floricultural Crops’ – opportunities and challenges in the current plant breeding environment

Abstract

The aim of the German workgroup for new floricultural crops (abbreviation: AG NZ) that was founded in 1981 is to contribute to the diversification of the ornamental plant assortment. Eight German research institutions are currently members of the AG NZ. Many ornamentals, such as e.g. Bidens, Angelonia, Diascia and Muehlenbeckia, were successfully introduced into the German market based on the research done by the AG NZ. However, the research environment for new floricultural crops has changed considerably during the last 20 years. More and more novelty ornamentals are researched and introduced on the market by companies. This is due to the fact that the demand for novelties is larger than the research institutions that are members of the AG NZ can satisfy within an environment of constantly shrinking research funds. The benefit relating to the research undertaken by the AG NZ for the future grower lies within the free access that he / she has to the results published by the workgroup. Moreover, the research institutions being members of the AG NZ also have an essential role to play in the development of novelty crops, especially regarding methods of propagation and polyploidization. The option to apply breeding techniques to new ornamentals that have displayed sufficient potential forms the basis for the successful introduction of a novelty on the market.
The research efforts of the AG NZ have been supported by experimental approaches of in vitro culture undertaken by the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In matters pertaining to in vitro conservation and propagation, first protocols for the genera Hymenolepis and Ptilotus were developed. An additional research topic is the in vitro polyploidization of Talinum paniculatum. The interspecific hybridization of Odontonema schomburgkianum and O. tubaeforme has not led to satisfying results yet. Currently, the aim is to rescue the few ovules which developed after pollination using artificial media.