Brazilian grower Adriano van Rooyen will focus on growing hydrangeas for cut flowers chosen from the Tropical series offered by Hydrangea Breeders Association (HBA) in De Kwakel. Van Rooyen has been breeding roses in Holambra and Andradas for many years but is taking a new direction by shifting the focus to cut flower hydrangeas. "He has the fullest confidence that the range offered by HBA will secure a good future’’, says Agriom director Jaap Stelder, who visited van Rooyen in Brazil at the end of November.
Adriano van Rooyen (centre), his daughter Camilla and her fiancé Lucas see a future in HBA's cut flower hydrangeas. (Photo credit: Agriom/Jaap Stelder)
To learn more about growing the plants and the market potential of cut flower hydrangeas, van Rooyen ran trials of a number of selections from the HBA programme Cut Flowers Tropical for four years. This programme is aimed specifically at breeding cut flower varieties of hydrangea suitable for equatorial production regions. After the trial period, van Rooyen selected a number of varieties (a pink and a blue variety) from the series that perform well under local conditions. "These two will shortly be joined by a white variety”, adds Stelder. "Adriano see prospects ahead. This is emphasised by the fact that his daughter Camilla van Rooyen and her fiancé Lucas are currently building a greenhouse complex where they will also grow cut flower hydrangeas."
Agriom, partner in HBA, is the first breeder to start a programme focused on the selection of hydrangeas for the equatorial region. This series contains varieties that have proven to form flower buds easily in tropical climates. The HBA series is grown in regions including Kenya by Blooming Innovations and Flora Delight.
In Brazil, Gé Barendse is making pioneering efforts with the cut flower hydrangea series being developed by HBA. "The specific climate conditions in Holambra are challenging, but Gé is a seasoned grower who gets the most out of our genetics," says Stelder. "The relationship with cutting supplier Sjaak van Schie, propagator of the HBA varieties, has confirmed Gé’s conviction that cut flower hydrangeas are a promising prospect for the Brazilian market. The ultimate in chain cooperation'', concludes Stelder.
For more information:
Agriom
Achterweg 58a
1424 PR De Kwakel
The Netherlands
www.agriom.nl