Chilean geophytes are distributed throughout the country, between Arica (18°29' South latitude) and Tierra del Fuego (54°20' South latitude). However, the greatest diversity is concentrated in the central part of the country, which has a Mediterranean climate. There are about 40 genera, and, depending on the species, they have a great potential either as garden plants or as cut flowers. A 4-year study was conducted to test different methods of both sexual and vegetative propagation on 19 species:

Cooperative research projects between the University of Connecticut in the United States of America and the Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile and the Universidad de Talca in Chile on the breeding, propagation, physiology, micropropagation and production of flowering geophytes from Chile have been ongoing for several years. During the past 15 years, various interspecific and intraspecific hybrids of Alstroemeria species including A. pelegrina, A. pelegrina alba, A. aurea, A. werdermanii, A. kingii, A. magnifica and others have been bred using a combination of traditional and biotechnological techniques. In vitro techniques that have been used include micropropagation, somaclonal variation, and embryo culture. This research has allowed the introduction of several cultivars including the world's only fragrant Alstroemeria cultivar, 'Sweet Lauraη'. Other species which are being bred and studied include Conanthera bifolia, Conanthera campanulata, Conanthera trimaculata, several Rhodophiala spp., Zephyra elegans, Leontochir ovallei, Pasithea coeruela, Herbertia lahue and others. A micropropagation project evaluating genotypic differences with Leucocoryne coquimbensis, L. coquimbensis alba, L. purpurea, L. ixioides and hybrids is ongoing. These unique Chilean species, plus others, have tremendous potential and value for breeding and development. They are being studied for their potential to be utilized as fresh cut flowers, potted crops, and as garden plants.

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Hydrangea macrophylla subsp. macrophylla var. macrophylla has been widely cultivated as a garden and potted plant. In addition, cut flower cultivars have been developed and have been recently introduced in Chile for export to the United States. Currently, cut flowers are air-shipped in cartons with their stems placed into individual water tubes. There is little information about postharvest management. This study was conducted to explore the feasibility of exporting hydrangea cut flower stems via sea freight at the classic harvesting stage, also called antique stage. Flower stems were obtained from a commercial grower located in Central Chile. Four treatments were established: precooling (stems placed at 0.5 °C before packing), precooling + fungicide pyrimethanil or sodium bisulphite, and a non-precooled group of flowers (immediate packing). Water tubes were placed in the stem ends. The stems were packed in cartons and placed in a 0.5 °C cold room. After 20 days of storage at 0.5 °C, flower vase life was 7-9 days. In contrast, an additional experiment showed that flower stems that were stored for 35 days had a vase life of only 2 days. There was no difference in vase life between precooled and non-precooled stems. The average total water uptake per stem was 43 ml. Botrytis infection was observed only in one out of two treatments without fungicide, where incidence was 12.5%, therefore the effect of fungicides was not evaluated. It was concluded that sea shipping to the United States of hydrangea cut flowers harvested at the antique stage, would be technically feasible.

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