The ornamental species used by the Plant Breeding and Genetics Department for research activities include several distinct production sectors: cut flowers (anemone, ranunculus, rose), woody plants (clematis, honeysuckle, cotoneaster, hydrangea, forsythia, ornamental apple, rose), pot and bedding plants (pelargonium) and grass. The programmes, developed in partnership with co-breeder producer groups, aim at developing tools and methods for shared use to create innovative genetic material.

INRA manages work collections on most of these species. It also contributes to the national conservation of genetic resources network coordinated by the Bureau of Genetic Resources (BRG). A few collections (honeysuckle, barberry) are used as references for attributing plant variety protection certificates. A number of evaluation and morphological or biochemical characterisation activities (tolerance to different pathogens, senescence, etc) have been carried out for certain of the botanic genera concerned.

The methodological developments involve perfecting F1 hybrids (ranunculus), triploid varieties (anemones) or tools for creating genetic variability (mutagenesis on woody species, genetic transformation, and somatic fusion in geraniums). Furthermore, studies on the genetic and molecular bases of certain agronomic traits of interest are being conducted for these different species:

• resistance to pathogens (pelargonium)
• metabolism of anthocyanins (forsythia)
• growth and habit (rose, honeysuckle)
• recurrence of flowering (rose).

The objectives of breeding are diversified and concern resistance to diseases (geranium, cotoneaster), habit (clematis, honeysuckle), flower colour (hydrangea), homogeneity of varieties and the multiplication of parents (ranunculus, anemones). This research enables INRA to offer professionals in horticulture and nurseries highly innovative varieties, distributed to international markets.