Understanding genetic relationships of wild and cultivated roses and the use of species in breeding

The existence of numerous wild species, the variability within species and the wide geographical distribution in combination with the weak barriers to interspecific and intersectional hybridization, make genetic relationships within the genus Rosa difficult to unravel. The use of molecular techniques has revealed some new insights in taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships. The understanding of these relationships among species and cultivars is a prerequisite for the effective utilization of the available genetic variability to tackle the new demands from growers and consumers. Many wild species have interesting traits. The rose breeders’ challenge is to introgress the desirable beneficial genes from wild species to tetraploid cultivars in order to accelerate the production of superior rose germplasm.