Revamped approach to AZALEA breeding promises stronger innovation

PRESS RELEASE

Revamped approach to AZALEA breeding promises stronger innovation

From October 2022, two experienced Flemish floriculture companies will join the existing innovation network AZANOVA. Azanova originated in 2008 as a cooperative of some 20 progressive azalea producers, who, with ILVO as a partner for breeding, invested smartly in market- and consumer-oriented, qualitative innovations.

The specialized companies FlorAmor and Hortibreed, active in breeding and in international marketing, are now joining this network.   

It is a logical collaboration, the partners feel, given that the industry itself has changed and the cost of innovation remains feasible this way. The number of growers within the new club has dropped to six.  

Motivated partners

Over the last 10 years, many azalea growers have quit or switched to other crops. The remaining companies are larger, serve an international market and want to secure their access to sustainable and aesthetically pleasing innovations.

FlorAmor and Hortibreed, both headquartered in Lochristi and led by Alain De Mol, see clear added value for a more integrated innovation network.

Alain De Mol: "We are entering through our accession and investment into a broader knowledge environment where both the historical azalea collection and the latest genetic breeding tools are present. This gives us more opportunity for interesting potential innovations, and above all for their well-organized valorization."

Hortibreed specializes in breeding and marketing azaleas and Rhododendron.
Stefan Laridon, business unit development: "To ensure continuity on the breeding side, we recently brought in a floriculture researcher, namely Steven Engelen. He gained over 15 years of experience at Bayer and, together with the ILVO experts, he will supervise the breeding program for AZANOVA and draw up its breeding objectives." Second, additional marketing know-how will become available in the AZANOVA group through Hortibreed.

Dr. Johan Van Huylenbroeck, ILVO scientific director of ornamental horticulture:  "Through the expansion, we span the entire chain for the first time, from research to consumer-oriented marketing. That is a strength. For the first time in azalea breeding there is also real balanced private-public cooperation. As a result, the fundamental knowledge development at ILVO receives accelerated valorization." The breeders' rights of the new introductions are jointly managed by ILVO and Hortibreed."

Geert Verbruggen is one of the participating azalea growers: "From now on, the grower group will know better through marketing knowledge how much of which (new) cultivar can be set up to collectively get a better producer price. From price taking we are evolving here to price setting, and that is a favorable perspective."

First novelty: Flandresse Premium Aiko

A first feat from the new AZANOVA network is already being announced.

Christoph Stevens, sales and marketing manager at FlorAmor: "On the occasion of 25 years of Flandresse, the group presents the new line Flandresse Premium Aiko. That line includes high-quality cultivars from the ILVO breeding program."

Aiko cultivars are known for their special flower shape and extra-long shelf life in the living room.

Bright future

As a result of the above consortium, the future of the azalea sector looks bright.

"During the corona pandemic, we already saw a resurgence of general interest in plants and also indoor plants among consumers. With the current energy crisis, it seems within the entire ornamental plant sector that the less heat-hungry ornamental plant species are coming into favor," say the partners of the renewed innovation network.