Agastache TNAGAPL Compact Cultivar Breeding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Agastache cultivars lack compactness, hardiness, and consistent lavender pink flower color, with limited cold tolerance and bloom duration, necessitating the development of a cultivar with improved branching, flower color, and extended blooming period.
Innovation Solution
The new Agastache cultivar 'TNAGAPL' (Poquito™ Lavender) exhibits a compact habit, lavender pink flowers, enhanced branching, and excellent cold tolerance, achieved through asexual propagation and micropropagation using apical buds and nodes, resulting in consistent characteristics across progeny.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If Agastache cultivars are bred for taller growth and larger flower size, then flower display area increases, but plant compactness and hardiness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a cultivar with differentiated growth characteristics: the lower portion of the plant maintains compactness for hardiness, while the upper inflorescence portion provides adequate flower display area. This is achieved through selective breeding that preserves compact base structure while allowing flower spike development, resolving the contradiction between overall plant compactness and flower display area.
2Duration of action of moving object
If Agastache cultivars are selected for extended bloom period, then duration of action increases, but cold tolerance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and stabilizing specific genetic parameters that simultaneously enable extended bloom period and cold hardiness. Through multiple generations of asexual propagation and selection, the cultivar 'TNAGAPL' has fixed parameters for both prolonged flowering duration and cold tolerance, achieving both objectives without compromise.
3Speed
If Agastache cultivars are bred for vibrant flower color, then color intensity increases, but color consistency across propagations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies copying through asexual propagation methods (stem cuttings and micropropagation) that create genetically identical copies of the parent plant. This ensures that the vibrant lavender-pink flower color is precisely replicated across all propagations, maintaining both color intensity and consistency without the variation that would occur with sexual reproduction.
4Length of stationary object
If Agastache cultivars are selected for compact habit, then plant height decreases, but branching complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the plant architecture into distinct segments: a compact base portion and vertically oriented inflorescence spikes. This segmentation allows the plant to maintain overall compactness while directing branching energy into structured flower spikes rather than lateral spread, reducing apparent branching complexity while preserving compact habit.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct form of Agastache plant is disclosed, characterized by lavender pink flowers in large inflorescences, a long bloom time, a short, compact habit, good cold tolerance, and excellent vigor.