A review on modern breeding of ornamentals

Modern techniques have been developed to meet the ever increasing demands of global flower industry. Available methods could significantly shorten the breeding procedures and overcome some of the agronomic and environmental problems, which could otherwise not be achievable through conventional methods. Genetic variation is necessary in any plant breeding program for crop improvement. Natural and induced mutations are highly effective to enhance genetic resources and have successfully assisted in developing improved and new cultivars among both seed and vegetatively propagated ornamental plants. Haploidization dramatically reduces the time required to develop inbred parents for breeding F1 hybrids and facilitate the selection of recessive traits. Polyploids, both as individuals and as populations, generally maintain higher levels of heterozygosity than do their diploid progenitors, also most polyploids are polyphyletic, having formed recurrently from genetically different diploid parents. Haploid, doubled-haploid and polyploid plants are all new sources of germplasm which could be introduced as new cultivars or be used in breeding programs. The engineering of novel traits in a given variety depends on regeneration capabilities in plant transformation that are fortunately continue to expand at a rapid rate. Present paper summarizes the recent advances of methods used for breeding of ornamental plants including; induced somaclonal variation, induced mutation, haploid and polyploid production and genetic engineering for floral modifications, increased vase life and aroma of flowers and disease resistance