State of the science and challenges of breeding landscape plants with ecological function

• Published in: Horticulture research Vol. 2; no. 1; p. 14069
• Main Authors: Wilde, H Dayton, Gandhi, Kamal J K, Colson, Gregory
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 2015; Oxford University Press; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/449/711; Agriculture; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Ecology; Life Sciences; Plant Breeding/Biotechnology; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Plant Sciences; Review; review-article
• ISSN: 2052-7276; 2052-7276
• DOI: 10.1038/hortres.2014.69

Exotic plants dominate esthetically-managed landscapes, which cover 30–40 million hectares in the United States alone. Recent ecological studies have found that landscaping with exotic plant species can reduce biodiversity on multiple trophic levels. To support biodiversity in urbanized areas, the increased use of native landscaping plants has been advocated by conservation groups and US federal and state agencies. A major challenge to scaling up the use of native species in landscaping is providing ornamental plants that are both ecologically functional and economically viable. Depending on ecological and economic constraints, accelerated breeding approaches could be applied to ornamental trait development in native plants. This review examines the impact of landscaping choices on biodiversity, the current status of breeding and selection of native ornamental plants, and the interdisciplinary research needed to scale up landscaping plants that can support native biodiversity. Ornamental planting: Scaling-up the use of native species Planting native species in aesthetically-managed landscapes has ecological benefits but poses considerable challenges. Exotic plantings are the norm but can have negative effects on biodiversity. H. Dayton Wilde and colleagues at the University of Georgia, USA, review approaches to help scale-up the use and breeding of native plants. Although a niche market is developing for native ornamentals (at least in the USA), few are available which meet the conflicting demands of ecological function, aesthetic value and commercial viability. The authors suggest that ornamental traits such as showy flowers could be improved through modern genetic techniques, although the effect of these changes on ecological performance is poorly understood. The geographical range over which cultivars can sustain ecological communities is also unclear. To address these issues, the authors propose an interdisciplinary research program incorporating genetics, ecology and economics.