BRAZILIAN BREEDING PROGRAM ON GLADIOLUS SPP. – HISTORY AND FIRST RESULTS.

Gladiolus is a traditional ornamental crop in Brazil, specially the cut flower for the internal market, and, more recently, the corm as a product for export.
The Instituto Agronômico has researched gladiolus since the 1960´s.
In the 1970’s, it released a purple striped variety named ‘Itapetininga’. Nowadays, there is no commercial value for it.
In 1986, the breeding program restarted with two main goals: select new varieties tolerant or resistant to rust (Uromyces transversalis) and search for new products: varieties with different colors, forms, and designs adapted to the ecological conditions of São Paulo State.
At this moment, two new varieties are released: ‘Carmim’ and ‘Paranapanema’. Both are selected materials from the original collection, kept at Capão Bonito Experimental Station.
They are very rustic and vigorous plants.
The corms have been distributed to the growers mainly in the Southwest region of the State.
But, in the coming years, it will be possible to release new hybrids, obtained from controlled pollination, which promise to be very good selections as replacements to the old varieties.

VIII International Symposium on Flowerbulbs

A.F.C.T. Tombolato, J.L. de Castro, L.A.F. Matthes

gladiolus, controlled pollination, Uromyces transversalis, selection

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.570.26