“Sustainability is an incredibly important issue for the future”

Breeding is an ongoing process. Peter van Noort, Manager Genetics at breeding company Evanthia, likes to illustrate this with an example. “Japanese Matthoila has a better lifespan than we see in Europe; this type has more robust woody stems. On the other hand, the European Matthiola offers the benefit that plant growers can select for single and double flowers on the basis of the leaf colour, whereby double flowers are desirable. We have combined the good properties of these two types in a new series. This is a real game changer for all the links in the supply chain, from growers of young plants through to consumers: selectable cultivars with fabulous full double flowers with a much better lifespan.”

“Our breeder always tries various crosses, but they’re not all successful. The Japanese series consists of eleven colours; we now have seven of those in the new series. I would like to add purple and lavender. A florist would also like to have all the colours. Sustainability is an important issue for the future; that applies to all product groups. Species need to become genetically stronger. We are now working to incorporate resistance to fungal diseases in various cut flowers. It’s not easy to develop, but we are making progress.”