What are the characteristics of the new lily variety Baiyu?

In December 2006, the Guangdong Provincial Crop Variety Approval Committee approved the new cut-flower lily variety 'Baiyu' Lilium longiflorum, bred by Professor Zhou Hougao's research group at Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Technology.

'Baiyu' Lilium longiflorum was developed in 2003 by crossing the Lilium longiflorum variety 'White Forest' with the Lilium formosanum variety 'Leishan', then backcrossing with 'White Forest'. From 2004 to 2006, variety comparison trials were carried out in Lianping, Dongguan, Conghua and other places in Guangdong, and this variety overcame the shortcomings of its parents and the currently main cultivated varieties in terms of agronomic traits and biological characteristics, and its traits were improved. Its characteristics are: vigorous plant growth, height 110-130cm, stem diameter 0.8-0.9cm. High flowering rate, with a neat and uniform flowering period. Bulb size has little effect on the flowering period; bulb propagation performance is good, and traits remain stable over multiple generations of propagation. Using scale cutting seedlings, qualified commercial bulbs can be produced in a single growing season, with excellent quality, and cut flowers produced from self-bred bulbs are of high quality. Excellent bulbs can be propagated in the Guangdong region, achieving domestic production of bulbs; flower bud differentiation has little dependence on long-day conditions, improving the long-day habit of its parent 'Leishan', and the growth period is greatly shortened in the short-day season, with the cultivation cycle completed in 70-110 days. The natural flowering period is mid-May, and it is a mid-maturing variety; cutting seedlings can directly produce cut flowers. Cutting seedlings grow vigorously, and when planted in winter, they can directly produce excellent cut flowers in spring and summer, reducing the steps of bulb propagation and lowering costs; cut flower quality is excellent. Cut flower stems are well-proportioned, leaves are arranged with appropriate spacing, and the stalk color and leaf color are dark green. Flower shape and flower posture are elegant. The perianth segments are tightly arranged and recurve when in full bloom, with good ornamental traits.