Bulb and Cut Flower Production in the Genus Lilium: Current Status and the Future

Lilies are one of the most important bulbous plants for production as cut flowers, for pot plant purposes and for park, garden and landscape decoration. At the "First International Symposium on the Genus Lilium" held in Daejeon, Korea in 1994, several research areas focused on (i) the need to preserve the germplasm, (ii) the development of classical breeding and production protocols to meet the market needs, (iii) the introduction of new cultivars with an increased shelf life of cut flowers and potted plants, and (iv) the introduction of new cultivars resistant to diseases, particularly viruses. In the last twenty years, research on the development of new cultivars beyond Longiflorum x Asiatic (LA) hybrid lilies has focused on the production of lily bulbs in the Southern Hemisphere. Genetic studies to select disease resistant cultivars have utilized molecular markers and morphological characteristics to provide consumers with high quality products. Production of lily bulbs produced in the Southern Hemisphere (Chile and New Zealand) is described. The development and evaluation of new cut cultivars is also examined starting with new colours and new shapes of Asiatic, Longiflorum, and Oriental hybrids. The recent introduction of new interspecific hybrids obtained from crosses between Longiflorum and Asiatic hybrids (LA), between Longiflorum and Oriental hybrids (LO), between Oriental hybrids and Trumpet species (OT) have increased the availability of cut and pot cultivars. Statistics on production, export, and import of bulbs, and also on the cut flower market are presented. Trends in production of Lilium in the past five years are analyzed with particular reference to flower characters (colour, shape, and scent) as influenced by consumer tastes in a changing market.