ABSTRACT:

At the Agricultural Research Center - Apopka we have been studying the breeding potential within the genus Dieffenbachia. One goal of this program is the development of new and better varieties of Dieffenbachia for commercial production in Florida. Another important objective is to study the reproductive mechanisms of fJieffenbachia and learn more of their biology and how it relates to all tropical plants in general and other aroids in particular. Such studies include research into factors affecting plant growth, flowering, pollen and seed production and storage and inheritance of various plant characteristics (leaf and petiole variegation, growth habit, etc.).