Salvia Shell Dancer Cultivar Breeding and Propagation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Salvia cultivars lack a combination of bushy growth habit, long-lasting multi-toned blossoms, large bright leaves, and vigorous regrowth after pruning, which are desirable for ornamental purposes.
Innovation Solution
The Salvia hybrida cultivar 'Shell Dancer' is created through artificial pollination of Salvia microphylla and Salvia × jamensis 'Sierra San Antonio', exhibiting a unique combination of characteristics including bushy growth, attractive multi-toned blossoms, large bright leaves, and vigorous regrowth, stabilized through asexual reproduction by rooting cuttings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If artificial pollination is used to create new Salvia cultivars, then novel combinations of characteristics can be achieved, but the process is time-consuming and requires multiple generations of selection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-selecting parent plants with desired traits (Salvia microphylla for bushy growth and regrowth capability, Salvia × jamensis 'Sierra San Antonio' for flower quality) before cross-pollination. This preliminary selection of parents with complementary characteristics accelerates the breeding process by reducing the need for extensive multi-generational selection, as the desired traits are already present in the parent generation.
2Manufacturing precision
If selective breeding is performed to identify plants with desired traits, then cultivars with specific characteristics can be developed, but the process requires extensive evaluation of multiple plants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by focusing selection on specific local traits rather than evaluating all characteristics of each plant. The breeders targeted specific locations/attributes: bushy growth habit, regrowth after pruning, multi-toned blossoms, and large bright leaves. By concentrating selection efforts on these specific local qualities in the parent plants, the process efficiently produced a cultivar with the desired combination without requiring extensive evaluation of numerous plants across all possible traits.
3Stability of the object's composition
If asexual reproduction by rooting cuttings is used, then trait stability is achieved, but root initiation time varies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by allowing the cutting to initiate its own root development process without external intervention. The 'Shell Dancer' cultivar exhibits natural rooting capability when cuttings are placed in suitable medium, with root initiation occurring autonomously within 14 days on average. This self-service approach maintains trait stability through true-to-type reproduction while minimizing the time required compared to more intensive propagation methods.
Data Source
AI summary
A new and distinct Salvia plant is provided resulting from a controlled cross between an unnamed Salvia microphylla plant and a Salvia×jamensis ‘Sierra San Antonio’ plant. Seedlings were produced and the new cultivar resulted from the selective study of the resulting progeny. Multi-toned blossoms of good substance are prolifically formed over an extended period of time. The growth habit is bushy, and attractive large bright leaves are displayed. The plant also exhibits a propensity to vigorously regrow following pruning and is well suited to provide attractive ornamentation.