Breeding of Cattleya Orchid: Native to Brazil
摘要
Brazil is one of the main centers of orchid biodiversityOrchid biodiversity in the world, holding approximately 10% of the global speciesSpecies. Among the orchidOrchid speciesSpecies, the genus CattleyaCattleya (Corsage orchidCorsage orchid) is highly appreciated for the varietyVarieties of colorsColor, shapes, and sizesSize of its flowersFlower. With the increasing commercial interest in speciesSpecies of this genus, the need for breeding programsBreeding programs to domesticate and create new varietiesVarieties of these flowersFlower has expanded. Furthermore, many speciesSpecies are threatened due to habitat loss, rampant exploitation, and illegal trade, as well as climate changeClimate change, which intensifies the need for the conservationConservation of these plants. In recent years, several advancements have been made in the domestication of various nativeNative and endemic speciesSpecies in Brazil. Additionally, new hybrids have been created, and significant progress has been made in studying the cryopreservationCryopreservation process of these speciesSpecies. Nevertheless, the need for investigations into virtually unexplored speciesSpecies and a range of technologies not yet applied to these flowersFlower open diverse possibilities for solutions to preservationPreservation and new hybrid creation-related issues. In this chapter, we will broadly address the main practices used in the cultivationCultivation, conservationConservation, and improvement of CattleyaCattleya orchidsOrchid, with a focus on nativeNative and endemic speciesSpecies in Brazil.