ISHS Acta Horticulturae 673: IX International Symposium on Flower Bulbs
PROPAGATION AND PROTECTION OF FLOWER BULBS: CURRENT APPROACHES AND FUTURE PROSPECTS, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO NARCISSUS |
| Author: | D.O. Sage |
| Keywords: | geophyte, somatic embryogenesis, organogenesis, bioreactor, breeding, daffodil, pest, disease |
| Abstract:
Propagation and protection are two major considerations in the commercialisation of new flower bulb crops. Many propagation techniques are used with bulbous crops but the use of bioreactors might be necessary for the rapid, economical, commercialisation of new cultivars (cvs.). Some commercial bioreactors are now being developed for flower bulbs. Nodular callus was induced for two Narcissus cvs., Golden Harvest (GH) and St. Keverne (SK). After regeneration trials on semi solid media, up to 519 shoots g-1 callus for GH and 309 g-1 for SK were achievable in a year. Trials with nodular callus in RITA bioreactors were promising, but further work is needed to speed up the system. Protection of bulb crops usually involves an integrated approach utilising multiple control methods, frequently including the use of agrochemicals. A desire to reduce agrochemical use has led, in some cases, to the use of transformation technology for pest and disease resistance. Where not appropriate, or politically unacceptable, marker assisted breeding has sometimes been investigated for more rapid and economical cultivar (cv.) improvement than conventional breeding could allow. Marker assisted breeding, using AFLP technology, is now being developed for Narcissus to move resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. narcissi, the worst disease problem faced by Narcissus growers in the UK, from wild species/resistant cvs. into susceptible/new cvs. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
