Lobelia Tech Darbule Cultivar Hybridization for Compact Habit and Blue Flowers
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a new Lobelia cultivar that combines specific characteristics such as deep blue flowers, compact growth habit, and disease resistance, which are not adequately met by existing commercial cultivars like 'Techno Blue' and 'Big Blue'.
Innovation Solution
The development of the 'Tech Darbule' Lobelia cultivar, resulting from a controlled hybridization program, which exhibits medium-sized deep blue flowers, dark green foliage, a well-branched and tight compact growth habit, and a mounding to semi-trailing habit, distinguished by its darker blue flower color and more upright plant habit compared to other commercial varieties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing commercial cultivars like 'Techno Blue' and 'Big Blue' are used, then certain characteristics are achieved, but the combination of deep blue flowers, compact growth habit, and disease resistance is not adequately met
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite breeding by hybridizing two distinct Lobelia cultivars ('Techno Blue' and 'Big Blue') to create a new cultivar that combines multiple desirable traits. The hybridization process merges the deep blue flower color from one parent with the compact growth habit and disease resistance from the other, producing a composite genetic structure that achieves the desired combination of characteristics not available in either parent cultivar alone.
2Stability of the object's composition
If hybridization is performed to combine specific characteristics, then new cultivar with fixed characteristics is produced, but breeding time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs preliminary selection of parent cultivars with specific, well-characterized traits before hybridization. By pre-selecting 'Techno Blue' for its deep blue flowers and 'Big Blue' for its compact habit and disease resistance, the breeders establish a solid foundation that accelerates the breeding process. This preliminary action ensures that the hybridization will produce offspring with the desired characteristics, reducing the time needed for subsequent selection and stabilization compared to starting with unselected material.
Data Source
AI summary
A new Lobelia plant named ‘Tech Darbule,’ particularly distinguished by medium sized dark blue flowers with small white and darker blue markings, dark green foliage, lanceolate or oblanceolate leaves, freely branching and tight, semi-upright to slightly trailing plant habit, relatively compact and small to medium in size.