HORT227 Final Exam

What are the five major problems with cloning?

1. Does not always maintain over time the genetic purity of a clone

2. May not be truly 'clonal' (mutations)

3. Overuse of clones: monocultures

4. Diseases propagated with clones - Degeneration of a clone, looses vigor over time due to pathogens

5. Cost

Why are monocultures in the urban environment considered bad? What do we aim for in % for family, genus and species/cultivars for both trees and shrubs?

Monocultures in urban environments are vulnerable to insect and disease.

Family: 20% from a family

Genus: 10% from a genus within a family

Species: 5% from a species within a genus

What are the disease pathogens that can be perpetuated in clonal propagation?

Virus, bacteria, fungi, nematodes

Are viruses transmitted thru seed from an infected plant? Why?

No, the seed coat prevents the virus from entering the seed

What are some of the symptoms of viruses infected plants?

Stunted, unproductive plant, chlorosis, albinism (all white shoots), mosaic pattern or variegation, witches' brooming

How do you detect if you have a virus? (there are multiple ways to detect, discuss at least 3)

1. Grafting or budding: from suspected virus carrier plant to a healthy, susceptible host plant (doesn't have virus yet)

2. Inoculating: a susceptible host plant with an extract from suspected virus carrier plant, but not showing symptoms yet

3. Culture indexing: vegetative tissue grown in vitro using a tissue culture medium favoring the growth of the pathogen

4. Electron microscopy: faster, can see virus in tissue

5. ELISA tests for antibodies, electrophoresis, hybridization analysis: results available quicker than grafting or budding

How are pathogens (diseases) spread to clones? Discuss at least three ways.

Mechanical: touching an infected host plant can spread to others, pruning shears can transfer diseases, cigarettes

Insect vectors: especially aphids, leafhoppers, thrips, spider mites, plant bugs (piercing, sucking insects)

Nematodes: microscopic organisms infect roots, found in soil

Natural root grafting: between healthy and diseased plants: Verticillium wilt, oak wilt, Dutch elm disease, etc.

Pollen transfer: from sick plant to healthy plant

Propagation material: using infected scions onto rootstock, using diseased material in asexual propagation

What is degeneration of a clone?

Plant loses vigor over time due to pathogens

How can you prevent diseases being propagated in clones? (there are 8 solutions, discuss at least 4)

1. Select only disease/insect free plant propagation material

2. Meristem tip tissue culture for getting rid of viruses

3. Keep your propagation facilities clean, disinfect often

4. Scout plants in greenhouse and nursery often to find mutations or pests quickly;Practice IPM!

5. Control pathogen vectors: aphids, leafhoppers, etc.

6. Heat treatment: subjecting plant part to high temperatures for a short time to kill pathogens (hot water soaking or hot air or steam exposure), does not kill the plant

7. Thermotherapy: exposure of plant to long periods of moderately high temperatures to inactivate a virus

8. Certification programs specific to your crop to limit systemic diseases in propagation, official, certify material has been reproduced under a specified program to ensure free from pathogens

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using seed propagation over asexual propagation?

Advantages:

-Inexpensive, much cheaper than any other propagation method, including cuttings

-Easy to handle, store, ship and use

-Juvenile characteristics of seedlings can be a benefit

-Genetic seedling variability may be desirable

-Germplasm preservation of endangered plants

-Production of virus-free (not all pathogen free) material for further propagation

Disadvantages:

-Genetic variability may be not be desirable

-May have dormancy restrictions

-Seed may be non-viable seed with no embryo or seed empty

-Seedlings non-uniform compared to asexual propagation

-Longer time for reproductive maturity, can take decades before plant flowers/fruits

-Takes longer to produce a larger plant than grafting/budding, layering, cuttings

What are the differences between annuals vs. biennials vs. perennials? Name a plant for each.

Annuals: complete the entire life cycle from seed to flowering to death in one growing season

ex: Tomatos

Biennials: require two growing seasons to complete their entire life cycle

ex: Carrots

Perennials: plants that live for more than two years and repeat the vegetative and reproductive cycle annually

ex: fruit crops, trees

Compare how long it takes for annuals and biennials to reproduce vs. herbaceous perennials vs. woody perennials

Annuals and Biennials take shortest amount of time to reproduce

perennials and woody perennials take longest time to reproduce

Can you propagate ferns and mosses by seed?

No, they use spores not seed

What are the differences between gymnosperms and angiosperms and give an example for each

Gymnosperms: produces a "naked" seed; produces a reproductive structure that is not a true fruit (not enclosed by a matured, ripened ovary)

ex: Juniper, Conifers

Angiosperms: produces seed enclosed by a mature, ripened ovary (fruit) that can be dry or fleshy

ex: Any true flowering plant, like roses

How are angiosperms pollinated vs. gymnosperms? Where are the seeds of each formed?

Gymnosperms: wind pollinated

Seeds form in Strobili (cones, fleshy cones, aril [looks like a berry but isn't])

Angiosperms: wind or animal pollinated

Seeds form in ovary

What is the difference between a monocot and a dicot and name a plant for each?

Monocots: produce only one cotyledon at germination

ex: Corn

Dicots: produce two cotyledons at germination

ex: Roses

What is monoecious vs. dioecious and name a plant for each?

Monoecious: a plant that produces separate male (staminate) and female (pistillate) reproductive structures/flowers on one plant

Dioecious: a plant produces ONLY male OR ONLY females flowers one one plant, but not both

Why do we need to know if a plant is either monoecious or dioecious in terms of pollination and seed propagation?

A plant might produce very smelly pollen if it is male only or it could drop a ton of seds and make a mess if it is female.

Describe pollination, self-pollination, cross-pollination, intraspecific hybrid, interspecific hybrid and intergeneric hybrid, meiosis, fertilization, double fertilization

Pollination: transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma in a flower

Self-pollination: transfer of pollen from anther to a stigma of the same plant

Cross-pollination: transfer of pollen from anther from one plant to the stigma of a flower on a different plant

Intraspecific hybrid: transfer of pollen to stigma of a different plant within the same species

Interspecific hybrid: transfer of pollen to stigma of a different species, but both within the same genus

Intergeneric hybrid: transfer of pollen to stigma between two, different genera, but both within same family such as rose family

Meiosis: special kind of reductive cell division thatresults in gametes or sex cells (egg and sperm)

Fertilization: following pollination, pollen grain germinates and grows down the style until it reaches the embryo sac inside the ovary

Double fertilization: after production of zygote, remaining sperm combines with two polar nuclei in embryo sac to form endosperm (3n)

Does double fertilization occur in gymnosperms?

No, only angiosperms

What is a seed? What three components are inside a seed?

Seed: matured, ripened ovule located inside a fruit (ovary)

Embryo, endosperm, seed coat

What is an embryo and what does it contain? What is its ploidy level?

Embryo: resulted from union of male and female gametes during fertilization, develops into the new plant

-Contains embryo axis with growing points at each end for shoot and root development

-2N

What are cotyledons and its ploidy level?

Cotyledons: "seed leaves"produced during germination, these fall off and the "true"leaves are formed afterwards; they can also serve as the storage reserve material for developing seed

-2N

What is the function of the storage reserve tissue in seeds?

-Sustains the germinating embryo

-Energy source until the seedling can produce its own sugars via the "true" leaves formed after the cotyledons

-High energy food source such as oils, carbohydrates, and protein produced during seed development

What 3 areas in a seed can store material?

-Endosperm

-Perisperm

-Cotyledon

What are the possible components of the storage reserve material inside a seed? (think tasty here)

-High energy food source such as oils, carbohydrates, and protein produced during seed development

What is the endosperm and its ploidy level for monocots, dicots and gymnosperms?

Monocots, Dicots: 3N

Gymnosperms: 1N

What is the perisperm and its ploidy level?

Perisperm: 2n (diploid) ovule nucellus tissue

-Nutritive tissue derived from nucellus and embryo

-Deposited external to the embryo sac, but internal to integuments

-Used as storage tissue in only a few plant families

What is the purpose of the outer seed coating? What is it derived from for angiosperms vs. gymnosperms?

Seed coat is there to protect the embryo of the seed.

Angiosperms: originated from ripened ovary and sometimes accessory tissue, parts of fruit remain closely attached to seed

Gymnosperms: outer tissue of female gametophyte only

What does the outer seed coating consist of?

Consists of seed coat, remains of the nucellus and endosperm and sometimes part of the fruit

Describe the three stages of seed development. What happens in each stage?

Relate them to fresh and dry weight of the seed for each stage listed above

Stage 1: Embryo differentiation (histodifferentiation): cell division of embryo and endosperm

-Beginning of cotyledon development

-Rapid increase in fresh and dry weight

-Rapid increase in seed size due to embryo and endosperm enlargement

Stage 2: Cell expansion:

-Rapid cell enlargement (seed filling) due to accumulation of food reserves

-Certain species store a predominant food reserve, but most contain all three types of food reserves

-Stage where the largest increase in seed size occurs

-Large increases in DNA, RNA and protein synthesis in seed

Stage 3: Maturation Drying:

-Physiologically mature, maximum dry weight in seeds via storage reserve accumulation

-Seeds can be removed from fruit and will germinate

-Rapid water loss, loss in fresh weight of seeds

-High ABA levels in seeds prevents germination

-Orthodox seeds: seeds tolerate maturation drying and survive at less than 10% moisture; i.e. most seeds are orthodox seeds

-Recalcitrant seeds: seeds that do not tolerate drying, seeds must not dry below 30-50%

What major hormone is involved in seed development and what hormone is involved in seed dormancy regulation?

Seed development: Gibberellic acid (GA)

Seed dormancy regulation: Abscisic acid (ABA)

Compare orthodox, recalcitrant and vivipary seeds. How would you store recalcitrant seeds?

Orthodox seeds: seeds tolerate maturation drying and survive at less than 10% moisture; i.e. most seeds are orthodox seeds (remain viable at 3-5%)

Recalcitrant seeds: seeds that do not tolerate drying, seeds must not dry below 30-50%

-Store in moist material or plant soon after harvest

Vivipary (precocious germination): germination of seeds prematurely inside fruit without maturation drying, still attached to plant

What is the difference between quiescent and dormant seeds?

Quiescent: seeds fail to germinate due to being dry; exposing seeds to water and a favorable environment will germinate seeds

Dormant: seeds fail to germinate even under favorable environmental conditions

Do the fruit and accessory tissue surrounding the seeds need to be removed before or after seed stratification or seed scarification? Why does it need to be removed?

Fruit should be removed before dormancy treatment. This is because the tissue in fruits often have inhibitors that prevent germination and can spontaneously heat up from decay.

Describe apomixis, what does NOT occur? What tissues are the seed derived from?

Apomixis: A seed forms from the maternal cell (a form of asexual reproduction) without the need of fertilization

What is polyembryony? Give an example of a plant that commonly has polyembryony.

Polyembryony: A type of Apomixis where there is development of multiple embryos within one seed. This is typically a mixture of a sexually produced and asexually produced embryo.

ex: Rose

What are the advantages and disadvantages of apomixis?

Advantages:

-Easy, cheap, vigorous, virus-free

-Has same advantages as asexual propagation (uniform, clone of parent plant, etc.) without having to go through breeding

-Allows for clonal, virus-free rootstock production for grafting or budding

Disadvantages:

-Juvenility restored which may lead to undesirable traits found in juvenile plants such as thorniness, delayed flowering and fruiting, excess vigor

What are the differences between recurrent apomixis and nucellar budding (adventitious embryony)?

Recurrent apomixis: Unreduced nucleus in egg cell undergoes spontaneous or parthenogenic divisions to form an embryo without fertilization by male gamete

-Adventitious, clonal embryo develops inside the embryo sac

-Gametophytic level

Nucellar budding (adventitious embryony): clonal embryos arise from the nucellus (rarely integuments) surrounding the embryo sac, grow into embryo sac, share endosperm

-Multiple clonal embryos develop outside the embryo sac

-Sporophytic level

Discuss the hormones involved in seed development and seed germination

Auxin: High amounts during cell division in stage 1 (embryo differentiation) and stage 2 (cell expansion)

-Essential for normal embryo and endosperm development and post germination seedling growth

Gibberellins:

-Important for dormancy release

-Required for embryo development and germination control

-Stimulate enzymes that weaken seed coverings surrounding the embryo (endosperm and seed coat), mobilizes seed storage reserves, stimulates embryo cell expansion

Cytokinin:

-High levels in developing seeds instages 1 & early stage 2

-Can offset ABA effects

Abscisic Acid (ABA): high levels in seed maturation stage 3

-Important for seed dormancy

-Important in seed maturation drying

Ethylene: minor role during seed germination

-Involved in dormancy release in some seeds

Explain the GA:ABA ratio for seed germination and seed dormancy release

High GA: Low ABA

Application of what hormone can release dormancy in some seeds?

GA

Discuss the three phases of seed germination. What occurs at each phase?

Phase 1: Imbibition of water by seed

-Increased fresh weight within seed due to water uptake, seeds swell

-Only physical phase, not metabolic

Phase 2: Lag phase and activation of metabolism

-Time period where little water uptake, but active metabolically

-Hydrated cells resume respiration, mitochondria activation

-Use of food storage, and enzymatically active

Phase 3: Embryo organs resume growth

-Radicle emergence from seed occurs first due to more water uptake needed, increased fresh weight

Know these terms: radicle, cotyledons, hypocotyl, epicotyl, true leaves, plumule

Radicle: growing point of root at base of embryo axis

Cotyledons: Embryonic leaf which is first to appear during germination

Hypocotyl: stem section between cotyledons and radicle; stem area below the cotyledons

Epicotyl: stem section between cotyledons and first "true" leaves, stem area above the cotyledons

True leaves: leaves of plant that emerge after cotyledon which are the defining feature of many plants

Plumule: growing point of shoot at upper end of embryo axis; bears one or more cotyledons (seed leaves)

What is the difference between epigeous and hypogeous germination?

Epigeous germination: seedling emerges from soil using the hypocotyl hook to penetrate the soil first

Hypogeous germination: lack of hypocotyl expansion so only the epicotyl emerges from the soil; shoot tip penetrates soil surface

What four environmental conditions are required for seed germination?

1. Seed must be viable with a live embryo, capable of germination

2. Seed placed in proper environmental conditions for germination: available water, proper temperature, supply of oxygen, sometimes light

3. Seeds must be pathogen free

4. Any primary dormancy present within the seed must be overcome

What are the optimum seed germination temperature ranges for warm season vs. cool season vegetable crops?

Warm season: 77-86F

Cool season: >59 F

Does alternating day/night temperatures improve germination and seedling growth?

Yes, Alternating day/night temperatures by about 18ºF results in higher germination and seedling growth vs. a constant temperature

What is thermoinhibition? Compare cool temp and warm-temp requiring seeds and give an example for each type

Thermoinhibition: inhibition of germination by high or low temperatures

Cool temperature requiring seeds: many Mediterranean climate species require low temperatures and fail to germinate above 77ºF

Warm temperature requiring seeds: many subtropical or tropical climate species do not germinate below 50-59ºF; germination occurs in summer

How does water influence seed germination?

Water is critical in initiating germination, without water there is no germination

Discuss what seed priming is and how it can help eventual seed germination. When is it used and on what crops?

Seed Priming: pre-germination treatment to alleviate thermoinhibition and increase germination

-Starts stage 1-2 of seed germination by imbibing the seed with water, allowing for its metabolic processes to start, and then drying the seed out again to prevent germination.

-This is used for seeds which have a wide range of when they germinate and maybe if you want to harvest at the same time.

-Speeds up germination speed and has germination occur around the same time (less spread).

How is oxygen involved in seed germination? What happens to the seed if the soil O2 levels are low?

Oxygen: essential for respiration in seeds

-Need oxygen to perform metabolic processes

-If O2 levels are too low the seeds won't germinate

How does light influence seed germination?

Light: involved in dormancy induction and release

-Amount of light a seed needs to germinate can vary on species

-Some species are inhibited by light which prevents germination (desert plants)

What is phytochrome? How do red light and far red light influence germination and hormone synthesis?

Phytochrome: photochemically reactive plant pigment; changes with exposure to red and far-red light (Pfr is active, Pr is inactive)

-Red light promotes germination (more GA, less ABA) while far-red light inhibits germination.

What is damping off? What are the symptoms of damping off?

Damping-off: death of small seedlings due to various fungi

-Death of emerging embryos

-Small seedlings

-Constricted hypocotyl

-Severe wilting

-Flopping over at collar

-Can kill whole areas inflat as fungi move seedling to seedling

-Symptoms can mimic unfavorable environmental conditions

Are warm-temperature or cold-temperature requiring seeds more susceptible to damping off?

Cold-temperature seeds are more susceptable because the fungi does better in cooler temperatures

How do you control damping off? Think IPM here too.

1. Use sterile, well-aerated media, new or sterilized pots; do not reuse old potting media or outdoor soil

2. Adjust greenhouse environment to reduce damping off

3. Reduce plant moisture stress: too dry or wet during seed germination can lead to more diseases

4. Preventative fungicidal sprays after seedlings emerge if species prone to damping off

5. Avoid overwatering of seeds! NO regular misting needed; only use light mist or hand water lightly

6. Integrated pest management (IPM) and regular scouting (preventing the disease from spreading to your other flats)

Discuss the differences between seed germination %, rate (speed) and uniformity. What is ideal germination?

Seed germination %: Percent of seeds that germinate

Seed germination rate: How quickly the seeds germinate

Seed germination uniformity: How close in time seeds ALL germinate and emerge in a group

What are the differences between non-dormant seed and seed with primary dormancy?

Non-dormant seed: germinate readily after imbibing water and grown at proper temperatures

Primary dormancy: seeds will not germinate even under proper environmental conditions

Why is primary dormancy beneficial?

It allows seeds to survive unfavorable environmental conditions (winter, dry season) until these conditions pass

What is secondary dormancy? What causes secondary dormancy?

Secondary dormancy: induced dormancy under unfavorable environmental conditions that further delay germination

-High or low temperatures, water stress, prolonged light or darkness and low O2 can induce secondary dormancy

What is external primary dormancy caused by?

External primary dormancy: imposed by factors outside the embryo, including the seed coat and/or parts of the fruit

Compare physical and chemical external dormancy. What are they caused by? How are each relieved?

External dormancy due to chemical inhibitors

-no germination due to compounds present in fleshy seed coat/pericarp or fruit (ABA, phenols, etc)

-Remove the fruit/fleshy seed coat

External dormancy due to physical obstruction

-seeds fail to germinate because seed coat/pericarp impermeable to water

-Scarification

Can the fleshy pulp or fruit covering inhibit seed germination? Why?

Yes, the compounds inside it can inhibit germination

Describe scarification; include mechanical, chemical, high temperature scarification techniques.

Scarification: alters the seed coverings to allow water to penetrate hard coated seeds

-Mechanical scarification: tumbles seeds in drums lined by an abrasive material, or use sandpaper or metal file

-Chemical scarification: using a chemical such as H2SO4 to break down the seed coat

-High temperature: Dry seed placed on heated moist or dry sand >95ºF or soak seeds in very hot water for several minutes (not boiling)

What scarification techniques happen in nature?

-Freezing and thawing during winter breaks down the seed coat

-Birds and mammals eat the seeds and their stomach acid scarifies the seed.

-Soil microbes break down seed

-Fire scarifies seed

What is internal primary dormancy caused by?

Primary internal dormancy: imposed by factors within the embryo inside of the seed; must change before seed can germinate

-Physiological causes: most common dormancy

Compare physiological and morphological internal dormancy. What are they caused by? How are each relieved?

Physiological dormancy: When a seed doesn't have enough energy to break through its seed coat

-Stratification

Morphological dormancy: Embryo isn't developed enough, or still needs to grow inside the seed coat before germinating

-Stratification, alternating temps, GA, mycorrhizae

Double internal dormancy: combination of physiological and morphological primary dormancy

-Some seeds require warm, moist followed by cold, moist (or reverse) stratification for dormancy release (Species dependent)

What hormone could potentially replace the stratification requirement in some seeds?

GA

What is after-ripening? What does it release?

After ripening: internal physiological dormancy disappears with the longer the seeds remain in dry storage; takes weeks to months to relieve

Describe the process of stratification. Do the seeds need to be imbibed with water before or after stratification?

Stratification: period of moist-chilling or moist-warm conditions that satisfies dormancy in embryo

-Seeds must be imbibed with water first, constantly with well aerated media

Give a range of temperatures for stratification usually required for temperate plants and temps. for tropical plants

Temperate plants: Above freezing (33-45 F)

Tropical plants: >77 F

What happens inside the seed during the stratification process?

-Physiological changes occur within embryo and surrounding tissues

-Decrease in lipid storage, increase in sugars and amino acids from storage reserves; increased osmotic potential

-Increased force of embryo

What is double dormancy? What causes it? How can it be relieved? Give a plant example.

Double internal dormancy: combination of physiological and morphological primary dormancy

-Some seeds require warm, moist followed by cold, moist (or reverse) stratification for dormancy release

ex: pawpaw

What is combinational dormancy? What causes it? How can it be relieved? Give a plant example.

Combinational dormancy: seed has both external physical and internal physiological dormancy

-Has inhibitors or hard seed coat and no embryo or poor embryo development

-Need scarification followed by stratification

-ex: sumac

What is provenance and why is it important in seed propagation? Name a plant where selection of a northern provenance is critical for seed propagation in WI.

Provenance: Geographic origin of seed collected

-Important because plants evolved and adapted to environmental conditions at that site

-ex: Northern redbud

What can happen if you collect seed from a southern provenance and bring it up north?

The plant might not survive the winter because it is used to warm winters genotypically

-Breaks bud too early in spring

What can happen if you collect seed from a northern provenance and bring it down south?

-Doesn't break dormancy because it needs cold temperatures

-Poor growth, lack of heat tolerance

Discuss the morphological and physiological differences for the above two provenances (north and south)

adaptation to climate, soil and pH, resistance to pests, variation in cold hardiness, heat tolerance, and length of dormancy required to break buds

What is the Plant Variety Protection Act (PVPA)? What does it cover? Does it include tubers such as potatoes?

PVPA: Legal protection granted by the PVPA for a seed propagated cultivar only, established in 1970, revised in 1994

-Allows inventor/breeder of seed produced plant in U.S. to control and retain exclusive propagation rights, similar to a plant patent

-For seed propagators only, including tuber propagation

What qualifies a plant to be protected under the PVPA?

-Cultivar must be new (novel) and distinctive enough

-Must be uniform and stable without change during seed propagation, not prone to mutations or reversions

What is a plant patent? What does it cover? How long before it expires? Can it be renewed?

Plant patents: patents to originators (person or nursery) or discoverer of any distinct and new plant which can be asexually produced (cuttings, budding, grafting, tissue culture, layering)

-It covers only asexually propagated plants

-Lasts 20 years

-Cannot be renewed

What qualifies a plant to be protected by a plant patent?

It is asexually produced

Can seed propagated plants receive a plant patent?

No

Can plants growing in the wild (nature) receive a plant patent?

No

Does a plant patent require the addition of a cultivar name?

Yes

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a plant patent?

Advantages:

-Can exclude others from propagating, using, or selling plant that is patented

-Patent holder licenses one or more growers to propagate or sell cultivar in return for royalty income

-Royalty income

-Public benefits from introduction of improved plant quality and plant diversity

-Can sue another nursery or person who is selling or propagating patented plant who are not paying royalties or have license agreement, holds up in court

Disadvantages:

-Expensive to register a plant patent, high lawyer fees, lots of paperwork needed

-Expires in 20 years with no chance of renewal

-Can hire company to aggressively market new patented plant but is expensive

-Marketing company takes a part of your patent royalty fees for promotion

What is a utility patent? What does it cover? How long before it expires? Can it be renewed?

Utility patent: Used by commercial biotechnology and genetic engineering firms to control the use of specific, novel genes and technologies

-Covers a specific gene: If a plant carries this specific gene, then entire plant is covered under a utility patent

-Expires in 20 years

-No renewal

What are trademarks? What does it cover? How long before it expires? Can it be renewed?

Trademarks: Relatively new addition, mainly for marketing purposes

-Only protects the name of the plant (not cultivar name) that is used for marketing purposes

-Lasts Indefinitely

-Must be renewed every 10 years

Does trademarking cover propagation rights?

No

What is the difference between ™ and ®?

-Trademark that has not, or not yet been officially registered is followed by TM

-Trademark that is officially registered with the U.S. Patents and Trademarks Office inWashington D.C. is followed by ®

Can you change a cultivar name and apply a new cultivar name along with a new trademark?

Cultivar names cannot be changed

Can you use the same name for both the cultivar and trademark?

No, they have to be different

Do trademarks and cultivars have to be "real" words?

Yes

What are the advantages and disadvantages of trademarks?

Advantages:

-Benefit to originator nursery, collect royalties for use of plants sold by someone or some other nursery that uses the trademark

-Plant patent time runs out at 20 years, whereas trademark registration and royalty generation are indefinite, but must renew every 10 years as long as plant still in commerce

-Takes many years for a new plant to get popular in trade or enough propagules produced (10+ years), covers your time

Much easier to file for trademark vs. plant patent

-Can sue another nursery or person who is selling the plant under the registered trademark and is not paying the royalties or does not have a license agreement to sell that trademark

Disadvantages:

-Does NOT protect plant propagation rights!

-Does not protect against another nursery from selling the plant, but only calls it by the cultivar name (must not reference the trademark in catalogor web site)

-Avoids paying royalties to originator nursery

-As a "punishment", originator nursery gives nonsense cultivar name and "catchy" trademark so other nurseries forced to use trademark instead of unmarketable cultivar name

-Often occurs and should be stopped! Cultivar names have to be a "real" word(s) according to ICNCP rules

-Trademark entitled to protection under the common law of unfair competition, but difficult to prove and enforce

-Unethical nurseries are renaming old cultivars with nonsense cultivar names and using the old cultivar name as the new trademark, which is illegal, against ICNCP rules

-Commonly done to old cultivars that have fallen out of "fad"

-Cultivar names can NOT be changed!

-Creates yet another word that you have to learnin plant id!

Can you have a plant patent and a trademark on the same plant?

Yes