Dwarf Agapanthus Cultivar with Thick Stems and Blue Flowers
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a new Agapanthus cultivar that exhibits unique characteristics such as dwarf size, thick flowering stems, and medium blue flowers, which are not found in existing cultivars like 'ALTbloom', 'Benfran', and 'AMBIC001', and can withstand varying environmental conditions.
Innovation Solution
The development of the Agapanthus cultivar 'ALTatomicage' through planned breeding, which combines traits from 'ALTbloom' and an unnamed proprietary Agapanthus, resulting in a cultivar with medium blue flowers, thicker stems, and a compact growth habit, propagated via vegetative rhizome division.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing Agapanthus cultivars are used, then they have established horticultural characteristics, but they lack unique combinations of dwarf size, thick flowering stems, and medium blue flowers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines desirable traits from two different Agapanthus cultivars through controlled cross-breeding. The seed parent 'ALTbloom' contributes dwarf size and compact growth habit, while the pollen parent contributes thick flowering stems. The resulting hybrid 'ALTatomicage' merges these characteristics along with medium blue flower color, creating a unique combination not found in either parent cultivar.
2Reliability
If the new cultivar is bred to have unique characteristics, then it provides distinct horticultural value, but it requires extensive breeding and selection time
Solution Approach 1:
The breeding program employed preliminary selection of parent cultivars with complementary desirable traits. The seed parent 'ALTbloom' was pre-selected for dwarf size and compact habit, while the pollen parent was pre-selected for thick flowering stems. This preliminary characterization of parent plants streamlined the breeding process and accelerated the development of the hybrid cultivar with predictable trait inheritance.
3Manufacturing precision
If the cultivar is selected for specific flower color and size, then it meets market preferences, but it reduces genetic variability for environmental adaptation
Solution Approach 1:
The hybrid cultivar 'ALTatomicage' exhibits local quality by maintaining consistent medium blue flower color and dwarf size characteristics across different growing conditions. The thick flowering stems provide localized structural support that ensures reliable flower display regardless of environmental variations. This localized trait consistency in critical horticultural features while maintaining overall plant vigor enables reliable performance in diverse garden settings.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct cultivar of Agapanthus plant named ‘ALTatomicage’ is disclosed, characterized by a dwarf growth habit, reaching about 25 cm high. Inflorescences are medium-sized and composed of medium blue flowers Flowering stems (scapes) are thick. The new variety is an Agapanthus, typically produced as an ornamental plant.