Two days of thematic sessions given and listen by experts from all over the world. The third day was devoted to field visits with plenty of insights in the Polish production of bulb flowers and perennials. The XIV International Symposium on Flower Bulbs and Herbaceous Perennials took place in Warsaw and turned out to be a success.
The symposium began with an informal welcome meeting in the Crystal Hall of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW) on the afternoon of 14 April. This provided an opportunity for veterans and new participants to meet, mingle and converse.
Opening Sessions
The symposium commenced with a general session featuring four lectures.
Dr. Rina Kamenetsky-Goldstein (Volcani Center, Israel) opened by discussing the interplay between science and geophyte production in a changing climate.
Subsequent lectures explored the use of biotechnology in breeding ornamental geophytes (Dr. Ki-Byung Lim, Kyungpook National University, Korea) and intensive planting of flower bulbs in urban areas (Dr. William B. Miller, Cornell University, USA).
A joint presentation by Dr. Dariusz Sochacki (SGGW, Poland), Mr. Tomasz Michalik (Vitroflora, Poland), and Dr. Jadwiga Treder (NIHR, Skierniewice) on Polish bulb and perennial production and breeding rounded out the plenary session.
Day two featured two dedicated sessions: propagation, cultivation, and forcing; and biodiversity, genetics, biotechnology, and breeding.