5. Conclusions
* The Netherlands are country number 1 in the world for lily culture.
* Breeding activities by private companies are situated on a high level.
* Breeding Lilium longiflorum for local Dutch conditions resulted in a large increase of the acreage with new cultivars.
* Interspecific hybridization research proves to be very promising and resulted in a new hybrid group of lily: the LA-hybrids.
* Virus-free propagation of lily stocks fasten the introduction of healthy material of new cultivars.
* Research on culture and breeding in combination with a well organized bulb business is attributed to the success of lily production in the Netherlands.
* Extensive present research is directed to reduce the use of chemical control in bulb culture (Urgency Program for Diseases and Breeding of Bulbs).