Chronica - Acta Horticulturae

Section Ornamental Plants
Eighth Int’l Protea Research Symposium
A California flower farm is the backdrop for an international group photo on the tour.
Protea researchers and growers from
throughout the world held joint meetings organized
by the California Protea Association, of
the ISHS Working Group on Protea and the
International Protea Association in southern
California during spring 2006. Topics of key
research and interest included Hybridization &
Selection, Plantation Management Practices
and Nursery Production. Outside tours of
California protea nurseries, flower farms and
wholesale floral shippers were combined with
formal research presentations in a classroom
setting.
The greatest share of research presentations
was in the field of hybridization and indicates
the current level of development the protea
industry has attained. New products and the
methods of developing and identifying these
new floral and horticultural products have
Protea hybrid “Frosted Fire” displays
superior hybrid characteristics of rich color,
glossy texture and white pubescent bracts.
taken this industry from a wildflower harvest
into the beginning of manipulation of the
bloom season, vase life and color palette of
hybrid material. Some management practices
that were researched and presented included
beneficial insect trials (Leandro), minimum
water requirements (Silber), and levels and
timing of nutritional feeding (Moore-Gordon).
Superior material, maintained with eco-friendly
methods, is a great development toward
sustainable protea plantations worldwide.
Another facet of hybridization and selection
reported in the research was the success of protea
in environments that were thought to be
unsuitable for protea flower production.
Hot tropical environments were not thought to
be ideal for the Mediterranean climate indigenous
proteas, but in both Hawaii (Leonhardt)
and Africa (Percival) trials of plant material
showed success with protea selections. These
trials even indicated preferred genetic lines for
continued research and hybridization. This success
brings the possible development of farms
in some cash strapped, underdeveloped regions
of the tropics. Previous symposia examined how
to grow proteas in marginal conditions. In 2006
the trial results of the increasing pool of genetic
material provided another tool to expand into
different environmental growing regions.
Both South African and Australian native
proteas were the subject of hybridization presentations
and a new potential cutflower selection
adaptable to conditions in Portugal was
introduced Protea Hybrid “EP1999”.
Attendees examine grafted Banksia on the
grower tour (B. hookeriana on B. integrifolia).
The Symposium Opening Address was given by
Audrey Gerber “Contributions of Research to
the Evolution of the Protea Industry” and gave
a historical look at the focus of research during
the previous seven symposia. Her presentation
explored the response of research to “the problems
of the day” throughout the short history
of our developing protea industry (1970s -
2006). Poster topics included fertigation, and
hybridization/selection. Oral Sessions were
Crop Management, Pest and Disease,
Propagation, and Hybridization/Selection.
Future symposia are considered for South Africa
in 2008 and Portugal in 2010 where the
emphasis on research for hybridization and
selection of superior material is bound to be of
major interest.
CONTACT
Dennis Perry
Dennis Perry, P.O. Box 540, Somis California
93066, USA, Phone: (805) 642-3267, Fax: (805)
642-5967, email: perrypan@adelphia.net
ISHS • 36