Breeding is sexual reproduction that produces offspring, usually animals or plants.

It can only occur

between a male and a female animal or plant.

Plant breeding is the purposeful manipulation of plant species in order to create desired genotypes and
phenotypes for specific purposes. This manipulation involves either controlled pollination, geenetic
engineering, or both, followed by artificial selection of progeny.

Tulips (Tulipa) form a genus of spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes (having

bulbs as storage organs). The flowers are usually large, showy and brightly colored, generally red, pink,
yellow, or white (usually in warm colors). They often have a different colored blotch at the base of
the tepals (petals and sepals, collectively), internally.

Tulip (Tulipa) is one of the most important ornamental bulbous plants, which has been cultivated for cut
flower, potted plant, garden plant and for landscaping. Species from the different sections display
complementary agronomic characteristics and breeding techniques are used to combine desired features.
The main goals of modern tulip breeding are the introgression of resistance against Tulip Breaking Virus
(TBV), Botrytis tulipae and Fusarium oxysporum (bulb-rot), and also characteristics such as a short
forcing period, good flower longevity and new flower colours and flower shapes into the commercial
assortment of T. gesneriana. T. gesneriana has been crossed successfully with only 12 out of the
approximately 55 tulip species by using conventional breeding methods. Many successful crosses have
been made between T. gesneriana cultivars and TBV resistant T. fosteriana cultivars resulting in highly
resistant Darwin hybrids tulips. The majority of tulip cultivars are diploid (2n = 2x = 24) however, there
have been many attempts to obtain polyploid tulips. The production of tetraploids was described in the
late sixties when young ovaries were treated, under pressure, with laughing gas (N 2 O). In breeding of
polyploid tulip laughing gas has also been used to induce 2n gametes. Several new tetraploids were also
obtained by making crosses between tetraploid lines. Polyploids have been derived from interploidy
crosses between diploid, triploid, and tetraploid cultivars. Several other polyploids have resulted from 2n
gametes, spontaneously produced by diploid F1 hybrids. Molecular cytogenetic tools such as FISH and
GISH permitted detailed studies of genome composition and chromosome recombination in the progenies
of interspecific hybrids. In this context, tulip breeding and the use of cytogenetic techniques for genome
analysis of hybrids are discussed.
Breeding a Better Tulip
Gardeners have been planting tulips since the 1500s. Those early tulips were essentially wildflowers,
imported from Turkey. Though beautiful, their blossoms were no bigger than your thumb. Thanks to plant
breeders in Holland and elsewhere, today’s tulips have larger flowers, taller, stronger stems, and are
available in hundreds of different colors.

To produce a bigger and better tulip, plant breeders hybridize two genetically different plants. The new
generation of plants displays characteristics from each parent, and over time, the breeder selects
offspring that display the most desirable traits.

Most tulips, like most plants, are diploids, which means they have two complete sets of chromosomes. In
recent times, plant breeders have developed special techniques that allow them to add extra
chromosomes, creating plants called Tetraploids. Extra genetic material gives plants an advantage.
These “super hybrids” are typically stronger growers and better bloomers.

Tulips are a popular floral product and a big seller for florists, especially in the spring when huge
quantities of the flowers are imported from Holland. The flowers come in a wide variety of colors and are a
particularly favorite choice for spring wedding bouquets. Tulips grow from seeds or bulbs. Nature does its
job in spreading the seeds that form into the bulbs that become part of the flowering plant.

Seeds Reproduce
Tulips Like other plants, tulips must disperse seeds for the flower to germinate and grow. The ways in
which the seeds are spread affect how well tulips reproduce in both quantity and quality. Tulip seeds are
dispersed by several different methods in nature. Once scattered, the seeds then germinate, growing into
a bulb. Tulips need well-drained soil in a spot where they will get plenty of sunlight to grow. Adding sand
to the soil provides for better drainage. Once tulip bulbs begin to multiply, you can pull off the smaller
young bulbs from near the root of mature flower bulbs and replant them to get more tulips.

Tulip Bulbs
Although you can grow tulips from either bulbs or seeds, bulbs produce flowering plants faster. A tulip
bulb produces a plant that will usually bloom the following year. Tulip seeds take only a few months to
germinate, but it can be several years before the plant bears flowers. The reason is that a tulip seed can
take up to five years to develop into a bulb.

Seedpod
Tulip seeds are found inside the seedpod of the flower. Just like other plants, pollination needs to occur
for the seeds to form. A tulip is a self-pollinating plant, meaning that the flower can transfer pollen from
the anther to the stigma without a pollinator. The plant is also a cross-pollinating flower relying on insects,
the wind, man or animals to carry pollen from one tulip bloom to another. Once the flower of a tulip plant
dies off, you can extract the seeds from the pod to plant in the fall. If you allow the plant to go to seed
after it blooms, the pod will eventually turn brown and crack open.

Nature’s Role

The wind is the most common way in which tulip seeds are spread. Even a mild wind can easily carry the
flat, light seeds a distance. Tulip seeds also stick to the fur of animals. Seeds often take root where they
drop. Birds are responsible for spreading tulip seeds as well. Some birds eat the seeds, which then pass
out in the bird’s droppings. Other birds carry the seeds to new places on their feathers.
How to plant, grow, and care for Tulips
Tulip bulbs are planted in the autumn before the ground freezes. By planting varieties with different bloom
times, you can have tulips blooming from early to late spring. Some types are good for forcing into bloom
indoors and most are excellent for cut flowers, too.
Tulip flowers are usually cup-shaped with three petals and three sepals. There’s a tulip for every setting,
from small “species” tulips in naturalized woodland areas to larger tulips that fit formal garden plantings
from beds to borders. The upright flowers may be single or double, and vary in shape from simple cups,
bowls, and goblets to more complex forms. Height ranges from 6 inches to 2 feet. One tulip grows on
each stem, with two to six broad leaves per plant.

Do Tulips multiply?
Leaving Them Buried
Tulips bulbs can stay in the ground to grow as perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant
hardiness zones 3 through 8, where they are hardy. They multiply only when they are allowed to have a
full leaf cycle and spend all year underground. In hotter climates, they may not withstand summer well,
but planting them about 12 inches deep offers them protection from heat. They may propagate slower at
that depth, however.

Removing Spent Flowers

One of the best ways to help tulips multiply is to remove their spent, or dead, flowers. Once the plants
finish blooming in springtime, they naturally begin to grow seeds in flowers that were fertilized. If the spent
flowers are removed, however, the plants direct their energy toward their bulbs, which is necessary if you
want the bulbs to multiply. Instead of letting tulips exhaust themselves trying to produce seeds, cut their
flower stems as soon as the flower petals drop.

Waiting for Leaves

Don’t make the mistake of taking the same approach to leaves as you do to flowers. Because leaves are
the photosynthesizing part of a plant, they are responsible for making energy and creating the sugars that
are stored in a bulb for winter use. If you remove tulips' leaves before they are done producing, the bulbs
may not survive, let alone multiply. After the leaves turn yellow and wither, it is safe to cut them to ground
level.

Dividing Bulbs
Bulbs will not multiply if they are dug up and stored for the next year, as gardeners often do with tulips.
Leave them in the ground instead. The exception to that rule is when you want to divide the bulbs, which
grow in clusters around a parent bulb. About every three years in fall, dig up your tulip bulbs and divide
them by gently breaking apart the bulb clusters. The bulbs may be replanted immediately.

Avoiding Hybrids
Bulbs of hybrid tulip varieties are much less likely than bulbs of non-hybrid varieties to multiply year after
year. Plant non-hybrid, simple, red- or yellow-blooming tulips for the best tulip multiplication results. They
are species tulips, easily naturalize and are perennial if they have the correct climate and care. A few
exceptions exist, however, including tulips from the Darwin group; examples of varieties include "Golden
Appledorn," "Orange Emperor" and "Golden Oxford.
What to do with Tulips after they bloom?
Tulips belong in the same family as lilies, Liliaceae and in the genus Tulipa, which includes 110 species
and thousands of different hybrids and cultivars. Although often credited with coming from the
Netherlands, because the Dutch love their tulips, they are actually native to areas of Asia and Turkey.
Flowers come in almost all colors except for a true blue, including single and bi-colors, and blooms can be
ruffled or have fringes. The flower shapes are as varied as the colors and include goblet, cupped, bowl
and star-shaped. Additionally, tulip foliage is a bluish-green, and depending on the type, is oval, long and
narrow, or strap-shaped, and plants grow anywhere from 6 inches to 2 feet tall. Blooming occurs
anywhere from early to late spring, depending on the variety.

Preferred Climate
Although technically considered a perennial, most of the time tulips act more like annuals and gardeners
will not get repeat blooms season after season. The reason for this is most areas can’t recreate their
native climate of having cold winters and summers that are hot and dry. In addition, many hybrid varieties
are more likely to perform as annuals, so if you desire perennial tulips, you will have better success
growing species types. The best guarantee for blooming tulips is to plant fresh bulbs each season.

Basic Growing Information

Plant tulip bulbs in the fall, usually eight weeks before a hard frost occurs. Those living in northern
climates should plant the bulbs sometime in September through October, and gardeners in southern
climates should plant sometime in October through November.
For the best performance and results, select a cleared site with fertile soil that drains well and receives full
to partial sun. Loosen the top 12 inches of soil and then incorporate a 3-inch layer of compost and 1
ounce of bone meal for every square foot. Plant your tulip bulbs, pointy end up, into holes that are about
three times as deep as the size of the bulb and space multiple bulbs about 4 inches apart. Cover the
holes with soil and water the area well. If your area’s autumn weather is extremely dry, periodically water
the bed holding the tulip bulbs. In springtime, when the tulip’s foliage starts sprouting, fertilize the area
with a 10-10-10 blend, following label instructions on amounts and water well.
Tulips in Containers
According to the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, the bulbs of tulips grown in
containers have been forced and won’t rebloom. The forcing depleted the bulb’s energy. They suggest
you enjoy the blooms while they last and then toss the bulbs afterwards. However, if you decide to grow
or force tulips in containers yourself, you are going to have to mimic outdoor conditions they require to
bloom. This entails planting the bulbs and then subjecting them to three to four months of complete
darkness in temperatures of 40 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit before bringing the containers into the light.
Blooming Aftercare
Once your garden tulips have finished blooming and the flowers wither, you’ll want to deadhead them so
they don’t produce seeds. The production of seeds zaps much needed energy from the bulbs and plants
may not bloom or sprout the following season. Sterilize your pruning tools by wiping them off with alcohol
and snip the flower stem from the plant. Tulips also work well used as cut flowers, so you can prune off
the blooms to enjoy indoors.
In addition, it’s important not to remove any of the foliage until it is completely dead or you rob energy
from the bulb. Allow the foliage to yellow and die naturally before snipping it off. The University of
Kentucky advises not to disturb your tulip bulbs and leave them in the ground if they performed and
bloomed well in their current location. However, if for some reason you need to remove the bulbs from the
planting site, wait for the foliage to yellow and die, and carefully dig them from the ground. Allow the bulbs
to dry for about a week and then store them in a paper bag or tray filled with perlite or dry peat moss.
Place the bulbs in a dry location with temperatures ranging between 35 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and
plant again in the fall.

How do Tulips reproduce with Seeds?

Bulbs vs. Seeds
Tulips self-propagate in two ways -- from seed or from bulbs. Bulbs form around the base of the plant's
main bulb and grow to be clones of the parent plant. These bulbs lack genetic diversity, but make up for it
in reliable self-propagation without reliance on a pollinator. Bulbs give home growers the advantage of
reproducing an identical replica of the parent plant, which is desirable when you require certain
characteristics in the tulips.
Seeds, Pollination and Genetic Diversity
Seeds form after the flowers have been pollinated and have faded. Tulips that grow from seed have the
genetic information from two plants. When honeybees and other pollinators alight on one tulip plant, their
legs are coated with pollen. When they travel to another plant, some of the pollen falls off. Growing tulips
from seed allows you to maintain genetic diversity in the garden, and sometimes it leads to the discovery
of exciting new colors in the tulip bed.
Seeds in the Wild
Tulips reproduce with seeds in the wild by scattering the seeds at the end of the flowering season. The
seeds scatter naturally, falling on the ground around the base of the tulip plants. Wild tulips also
reproduce from bulbs. Having two methods gives the plant a backup plan. If rain, picking or lack of
pollinators fail to create viable seeds, the bulbs come up again in the spring. When seeds do germinate
and grow, the population is strengthened by the genetic diversity in the colony.
Seeds in the Garden
Growing tulips from seed in the garden is simple. Just gather the seed heads after they ripen and dry on
the plants in late summer and fall. Break open the seed heads and scatter them in the areas where you
want new tulips. Scatter the seeds in garden beds, or in grassy areas for a naturalized look. Growing
tulips from seed is less labor intensive than planting bulbs, but not as reliable either. Scatter lots of seeds
and see what comes up. You might get some exciting new colors when the tulips grow in the spring.
 SCIENCE
RESEARC
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Ordoñez, Nathalie Sophia T.

8 – Anemone
Mrs. Cynthia B. Ong