Gerbera Flostone Compact Growth Habit and Semi-Double Inflorescence Traits
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for new compact container Gerbera cultivars with numerous inflorescences, good garden performance, and attractive ray and disc floret coloration, as existing cultivars lack these desirable traits.
Innovation Solution
The development of the Gerbera jamesonii 'Flostone' cultivar, resulting from a cross-pollination between Gerbera jamesonii 'Fabio' and 'Emil', which exhibits a compact, upright growth habit, semi-double inflorescences with yellow and yellow-orange ray florets, and strong, short scapes, distinguishing it from parent cultivars and offering improved uniformity and flowering performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If existing Gerbera cultivars are used, then they have larger plant size and longer scapes, but they lack compact growth habit and uniformity required for container production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by selecting and breeding plants with specific genetic traits that result in compact growth habit and shorter scape length. The cultivar 'Flostone' exhibits these modified physical parameters compared to parent cultivars, achieving the desired compact form for container production while maintaining flowering capability.
2Shape
If existing Gerbera cultivars are used, then they have single type inflorescences, but they lack the attractive semi-double type inflorescences with yellow and yellow-orange ray florets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges desirable traits from two different parent cultivars ('Fabio' and 'Emil') through controlled cross-pollination. The resulting cultivar 'Flostone' combines the semi-double inflorescence type with yellow and yellow-orange ray floret coloration, integrating multiple beneficial characteristics into a single improved variety.
3Stability of the object's composition
If tissue culture propagation is used, then true-to-type reproduction is achieved, but it requires controlled environment and technical infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs tissue culture propagation methodology where the plant cells themselves serve the function of reproduction under controlled conditions. The cultured plants maintain genetic stability and reproduce true-to-type characteristics, with the system being self-sufficient for generating uniform propagates once established.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Gerbera jamesonii 'Flostone' demonstrates stable, true-to-type reproduction through tissue culture, providing a compact, freely flowering plant with enhanced inflorescence characteristics, improved growth habit, and temperature tolerance, making it suitable for commercial container production.
Implementation Method 1
Asexual reproduction of the new Gerbera plant by tissue culture in a controlled environment in De Kwakel, The Netherlands since the summer of 2004 has shown that the unique features of this new Gerbera plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant named ‘Flostone’, characterized by its compact, upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; freely flowering habit; semi-double type inflorescences with ray florets that are yellow and yellow orange in color; and upright, strong and relatively short scapes.