Angelonia Balangsparkl Cultivar Breeding for Prostrate Growth
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Angelonia cultivars lack unique flower coloration, continuous flowering, and a balanced growth habit, with most varieties either being too vigorous or lacking in flower color diversity.
Innovation Solution
The development of the Angelonia angustifolia cultivar 'Balangsparkl' through controlled breeding, which combines dark violet flowers, medium green foliage, and a moderately vigorous, prostrate growth habit, achieved by cross-pollinating proprietary breeding selections 368-9-4-4 and 539-2, resulting in a distinct and reproducible cultivar.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If Angelonia cultivars are bred for vigorous growth, then growth vigor is improved, but growth habit becomes unbalanced (too upright or mounded rather than prostrate)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selectively breeding for specific growth parameters - achieving moderate vigor levels rather than maximum vigor, and targeting a prostrate growth habit parameter. The cultivar 'Balangsparkl' exhibits moderate vigor with a prostrate habit, representing an optimized parameter combination that balances growth strength with desired form.
2Ease of manufacture
If Angelonia cultivars are bred for unique flower coloration, then flower color diversity is improved, but flower color consistency through propagation becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by establishing the desired flower color characteristics during the controlled breeding process before propagation. The dark violet flower color was fixed through selective cross-pollination and evaluation of progeny, ensuring color consistency is built into the cultivar's genetic makeup prior to asexual propagation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies copying through asexual propagation by terminal stem cuttings, which reproduces the established flower color characteristics faithfully. The propagation method copies the genetically fixed dark violet flower color from the selected parent plant to successive generations, maintaining color consistency.
3Duration of action of moving object
If Angelonia cultivars are bred for continuous flowering, then flowering duration is improved, but growth resource allocation becomes unbalanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the balance between flowering duration and growth resource allocation. The cultivar 'Balangsparkl' was selected to exhibit continuous flowering characteristics while maintaining moderate vigor, representing an optimized parameter balance where extended flowering does not compromise overall plant health or resource allocation.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct cultivar of Angelonia plant named ‘Balangsparkl’, characterized by its dark violet-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, prostrate growth habit, is disclosed.