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March 14, 2008
Source:
GMO Compass
In the past, roses were simply
yellow, red or white. Blue roses could not exist. These plants
are unable to produce blue pigments naturally. By means of gene
technology, this goal has been reached. This is not all: in labs
around the world, designer cut flowers are being created with
exceptional colours, with prolonged shelf-life, with added
fragrances or with built-in frost protection. GM cut flowers can
be bought in the EU as well.
According to the Australian corporation and market leader
Florigene, owned by
Japanese group Suntory, novelties sustain the industry. With
help of gene technology, new creations could enhance their high
market potential. Today, about $ 40 billion are converted yearly
with cut flowers, of which roses have a market share of $10
billion. Plant growers have gone to great lengths for centuries
in the quest to grow a blue rose but Florigene is the first
corporation that has been able to do so.
Even though this new rose is rather violet than dark blue, the
company believes to be close to the goal. This colour change in
roses was effected through the transfer of a gene found in
violets that controls the production of the blue pigment called
Delphinidin. Simultaneously, rose genes that usually produce red
and orange pigments were made inoperative.
In 1996, Florigene already had made the first genetically
modified, market-ready cut flowers. A pale, violet-coloured
carnation with the name of Moondust was presented by the
company. To date, five more species of carnations have been
added that feature different tones of violet and blue. Four of
these species are permitted for marketing within the EU. To
date, over 75 million of these flowers were sold worldwide.
Further products are being developed at other corporations. More
than two dozen field tests with new designer plants have been
permitted. Among them are light blue torenias, bronze coloured
forsythia, and yellow petunias. Using gene-technological methods
other new characteristics are underway:
New fragrances: At
the University of Florida,
experiments as being conducted to return to roses scents
that have been lost during breeding.
Prolonged shelf-life: Researchers at the
University of Hannover
in Germany are developing methods to delay the withering of
Flaming Katies and Canterbury bluebells.
Improved resistance: The German corporation,
Ornamental
Bioscience, is working with petunias and poinsettias
that are able to endure low temperatures and drought. The
flowers are so able to tolerate long – haul transports.
Petunias made by this company are already able to withstand
minus 6 degrees Celsius without being damaged, but will not
be ready for the market until 2011.
For the EU, there are also clear
labelling regulations for gene modified cut flowers. The
carnations ‘Moonlite’ must carry a label with the remark that
‘this product is a genetically modified carnation’ and is ‘not
suitable for consumption by humans or animals’.
See also on GMO-Compass:
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