Breeding new flowering ornamentals: the Bicajoux® story

Eight years ago a research and breeding program, a private-public collaboration between Denis-Plants and ILVO, was started with as final ambition to create a complete new line of flowering Calathea cultivars, combining an attractive foliage with eye-catching flowers. At the start, limited information was available on the reproductive biology of Marantaceae. Pollination and hybridization methods were developed and a large gene pool was collected. Plant morphology was described, DNA-content measured and the genetic relationships between genera and species were determined based on AFLP analysis. An intensive interspecific breeding program was started and embryo-rescue protocols were developed. Already in the first obtained F1-populations, some attractive genotypes could be selected that were micropropagated and commercially released. A marketing campaign was developed to introduce these novelties under the trade name Bicajoux®, referring to the double (“bi”) function - foliage and flowers - of this calathea’s (“ca”). Since no growing schemes were available for these new plants, climate factors influencing flower initiation and development were determined.