Breeding for Disease Resistance in Florists’ Crops

Abstract

Utilization of disease-resistant cultivars is considered as the most cost-effective and environmentally sound approach to managing plant diseases including diseases of florists' crops. Improving disease resistance has been a main objective in a number of florists' crop breeding programs. The commonly used breeding approach has been classic hybridization followed by progeny screening for resistance to targeted diseases. Breeding efforts over the last several decades have resulted in the development and release of numerous cultivars with resistance to major diseases in anthurium, caladium, carnation, chrysanthemum, gerbera, gladiolus, hydrangea, lily, narcissus, rose, tulip, and other florists'