Ranunculus

Ranunculus asiaticus L. is the only Ranunculus species cultivated for its ornamental value. Most often it is grown as a cut flower, but also the flowering potted plant is gaining importance for gardening and landscape design. The commercial production is done either via seeds or through the underground storage organs (hereafter called tuberous roots) which are gathered at the end of the seedling cultivation period; these latter ones are flowering faster and more profusely and for this reason the tuberous roots are mainly used in the commercial practice. Detailed plant morphological characteristics which are important for breeding and different factors influencing in vitro pollen germination are described in this chapter. Often no fertilization barriers are noticed in cross-pollinations and self-pollinations in intraspecific crosses, but some of the cultivars (e.g., ‘Alfa’) shows self-incompatibility and even an occurrence of apomixis is assumed. Breeding goals and perspectives in commercial breeding are discussed for both cut flower and pot plant production.