BREEDING ANTHURIUMS (ANTHURIUM ANDREANUM L.) FOR RESISTANCE TO BACTERIAL BLIGHT CAUSED BY XANTHOMONAS CAMPESTRIS PV. DIEFFENBACHIAE

Ornamentals are of growing importance in the crop diversification policy of most Caribbean countries.
In this prospect, cut flowers, including anthuriums, alpinias and heliconias are considered to have a considerable potential as an export commodity.
In the French Antilles, the development of ornamental productions in the early seventies was based on anthuriums.
This flower was leading the export market until 1983 when the accidental introduction of bacterial blight (Xanthomonas campestris pv. dieffenbachiae) practically wiped out the whole crop.
After developing preventive measures to control the disease, we have initiated a breeding program for resistance to the pathogen.
In 1995 we have identified resistance in one Anthurium clone growing in a shade-house.
The high level of this resistance was confirmed by inoculating the plants with a bacterium strain, representative of the local population of the pathogen.
The resistant clone can easily be crossed with the commercial cultivars, so that it will be possible to breed resistant varieties which meet the demands of both the export and local markets.

XIX International Symposium on Improvement of Ornamental Plants

G. Anaïs, A. Darrasse, Ph. Prior

Anthurium andreanum L., Breeding, Resistance, Bacteria, Xanthomonas

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.508.17