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.
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