Plant breeding breakthroughs on the horizon for 2024

Added on 09 January 2024

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Plant breeding breakthroughs on the horizon for 2024

Photo: Ball Horticultural Company

When you think about the future of floriculture, much of it is determined by breeding. Breeders decide what plants will look like in the future, impacting home gardeners. They figure out how to create plants with traits that are good for the growers, so breeders play a pivotal role in production practices. They come up with new names, colors, and catchy phrases to promote their creations to growers, retailers, and consumers. When you think about the life cycle of a plant, it all starts with genetics.

Leading breeders in the floriculture industry have many goals in mind for the future. Each company has a different focus, but they are all working to make the world a better place with plants.

The Future of Floriculture

Jason Jandrew, Chief Product Development Officer at Ball Horticultural Company, says sustainability is increasingly important in the future of floriculture.

“We’re often thought of as a green industry, but we’re not as green as we could be,” Jandrew says. “We talk about plants that need less energy to be produced, lower water needs, and less chemical applications. Our products should enhance the environment and be something that we’re happy and proud to have around our homes.”