I would buy and raise some of the dwarf seed propagated varieties. I don't remember their names or where we got them, but they were yellow and flowered the first year from seed. They were trialed here at the U of Minnesota display gardens a few years ago. Using such germplasm would allow for fast flowering time, it has been selected for high fertility, and a nice dwarf and full plant habit. Although it may be easier to try to generate lots of diversity and select exceptional seedlings to clone, you may make a bigger impact on horticulture developing seed propagated strains. For one thing seed-grown plants should start out relatively virus free (big problem with canna clones). Also it can allow for standard and more affordable bedding plant production and widespread use. Perhaps they can be grown in plug flats at first commercially, transplanted to 4" or 6" pots and then sold, much like tuberous begonias. Anyways, it would take more work developing uniform seed populations than just cloning a particularly nice clone, but the impact would be greater. Just my thoughts. David