New Ornamentals
Lots of the new plants appearing in nurseries these days have been developed overseas. They are not evaluated under Australian conditions as part of the breeding process, and a high percentage of them fail. The good news is that the University of Sydney’s Plant Breeding Institute at Cobbity has taken a unique approach to ornamental plant breeding. The University has formed partnerships with industry groups who finance the breeding, and also provide ongoing commercial and horticultural expertise. Plants are developed with both the Australian and overseas markets in mind.
Preliminary work
The University holds discussions with industry partners about potential crops and possible outcomes, and then carries out a literature search, investigates the plant biology and does some preliminary hybridising. If their findings are positive, targets are set for a breeding program. Don visited the laboratories at Cobbity where tissue culture and hybridising was being carried out, and looked at thousands of plants under assessment in outdoor trials.
Glenfield Wholesale Nursery
Here rigorous testing of field selections is being carried out for nursery performance. Trials are conducted to find out if the plants are suitable for pots, hanging baskets, or for multiplanted bowls and tubs which are popular in garden centres at the moment. Don looked at some of the new hybrids that have been produced including Brachyscome ‘City Lights’, Gazania ‘Sunset Jane’, Petunia x hybrida ‘Marco Polo’, Diascia ‘Strawberry Sunday’ and Argyranthemum ‘Summer Melody’.
Benefits of the program
Provides university workers with employment and training opportunities that are self funding. Increases knowledge about ornamental plants. Creates better varieties for gardeners both in Australia and overseas. Resulted in international sales of approximately 6 million plants last year, with a proportion of royalties going back into research.
Further information
Hybrids developed through the program are available Australia wide and cost around $10.00 for a 140mm (6") pot. More advanced sizes are available.
Our segment was filmed at the University of Sydney Plant Breeding Institute, Cobbity, NSW, phone: (02) 9351 8800, and Glenfield Wholesale Nursery, Macquarie Fields, NSW, phone: (02) 9605 2266.