Two new begonia germplasm lines developed by Agricultural Research Service and collaborating scientists are now available for use in breeding elite varieties of the ornamental crop that can tolerate the heat and humidity of a Gulf Coast summer.
Begonia semperflorens is the most widely cultivated type of begonia and the fourth most popular bedding plant in the United States, generating $36 million in sales (2009). However, in Gulf Coast states like Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, the onset of summer can overwhelm these popular flowering perennials with intense heat and humidity, cutting short the plant’s colorful presence in flowerbeds, hanging baskets, and containers.
Begonia lovers needn’t despair much longer, though.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: USDA AgResearch Magazine
