Over the years as roses have been bred for their beautiful blooms, most varieties have lost their fragrance.
Field-grown, mass-produced Florida tomatoes have a similar problem. Bred to produce lots of tomatoes that ship well, grow fast and resist pests and diseases, the plants may produce tomatoes that look pretty, but lack flavor.
A University of Florida interdisciplinary group has gone back to square one to try to change that. Their work puts the consumers first and considers what people want. The goal is to improve tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries and roses through breeding programs.
Environmental Horticulture Professor David Clark and other researchers are looking at ways to put the aroma back into flowers either through genetic engineering or by making the scent in a lab and developing a spray.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: Palm Beach Post
