Biotechnology and Development Monitor, No. 20, p. 10.

Flower Colour Is Major Target in Genetic Engineering of Cut Flowers By Jos Bijman

Keywords:	Flowers/Ornamentals; Genetic engineering; Private industry; Plant breeding.
Correct citation:	Bijman, J. (1994), "Flower Colour Is Major Target in Genetic Engineering of Cut Flowers." Biotechnology and Development Monitor, No. 20, p. 10.

Few biotechnology companies have specialized in cut flowers and other ornamentals. While tissue culture is widely applied for ornamental production in many developing countries, genetic engineering is almost exclusively limited to industrialized countries.

Biotechnology research in cut flowers is aimed at developing new techniques for transformation and regeneration, and at introducing desired foreign genes or changing endogenous gene expression by genetic engineering. As most cut flowers are monocots, transformation and regeneration is still difficult to achieve, while only a few genetically engineered cut flowers (petunia, roses, chrysanthemum and carnation) have been reported.

Breeding for resistance
Characteristics such as flower colour, shape, longevity, plant habit, and resistance to diseases and insects can be modified by the use of genetic transformation techniques. So far, most transformation studies have focused on altering flower colour (see below). Besides the fact that there are commercial reasons for this focus, research on flower colour is used as a model for further breeding research. Eventually, improving disease and pest resistance may be a more important target. The cultivation of roses, carnations and particularly chrysanthemums needs large amounts of chemical pesticides due to a relatively high susceptibility to diseases in combination with very strict import requirements ('zerotolerance') regarding infections of insects and diseases that some countries dictate. These protection requirements are even more problematic for developing countries, as disease and pest control is more difficult in (semi) open air production systems compared to green houses.
Rose is the most important ornamental crop grown worldwide. Modern roses have been developed through breeding and selection. However, for several reasons rose improvement is very difficult to accomplish through breeding methods. Additionally, rose does not have the genetic capacity for producing varieties in the full spectrum of colours (e.g. blue).

Major biotechnology companies
Genetic engineering of cut flowers is done by a small number of biotechnology companies. The major world players are Florigene, Calgene Pacific and DNA Plant Technology.
Florigene (The Netherlands) was founded in 1989 as a joint venture between DNA Plant Technology, Zaadunie (which is now called S&G Seeds, belonging to Sandoz, Switzerland), and the Rabobank Biotech Venture Fund. Florigene was one of the first companies to obtain an alteration of colour by genetic engineering. Working together with chrysanthemum breeder Fides, Florigene has transformed the pink chrysanthemum variety 'Moneymaker' into a white flower, by blocking the chalcone synthase gene responsible for pigment synthesis. Since there are many white chrysanthemum varieties, the newly created variety, called Floriant, will not gain a large market share. The development of Floriant was meant as a test case for genetic engineering of flowers and the approval procedure of the Dutch government.

Calgene Pacific (CP) was established in Melbourne, Australia, in 1986. Shareholders include DNA Plant Technology (USA), Fides (The Netherlands), and Suntory (Japan). Last year CP acquired its Dutch competitor Florigene.
Identification, isolation and transferring of genes responsible for colours are the main focus of research at CP. In 1991, it isolated the key genes responsible for the colours blue and red. CP's main research project is the development of blue flowers, particularly a blue rose. Of the ten most popular flowers only the Freesia has blue varieties. CP expects that blue flowers would command a market share close to that of red if they were freely available. Blue transgenic petunia were reported in 1992. Blue carnations and chrysanthemum are being tested this year, while the blue rose is expected in 1995.
Genetic engineering is also applied to extent vase life of flowers, by blocking the ethylene production of flowers. Ethylene triggers flower deterioration. Tests with transformed carnations are currently being carried out in Australia. Because the vase life of some flowers is extended using substances that are toxic to the environment, such as silver salts with chrysanthemums, transformed flowers may help to reduce environmental pollution.
CP is also collaborating with the Dutch biotechnology company Mogen International. Mogen has succeeded in obtaining resistance to Fusarium in tomato plants. CP is now applying this technology to carnation which is susceptible to Fusarium attack.

DNA Plant Technology (DNAP) in Oakland, USA, together with researchers at the University of California at Davis have also developed a transgenic chrysanthemum with altered flower colour. Just recently, DNAP has been the first to report the development of a transgenic rose. Friable embryogenic tissues of rose have been transformed and reproduced into flowering plants. Although the transferred marker genes are of no direct commercial interest, the procedure facilitates the introduction of desirable genes, especially those controlling flower colour, into commercial cultivars of rose.

Japan breweries
In Japan, three large breweries, Kirin, Sapporo and Suntory, have invested in plant biotechnology. Because they are afraid that a negative image of a genetically modified food crop would be associated with other edible products of their companies, they focus in particular on ornamental crops.
Kirin Brewery is involved in micropropagation and flower export through its Dutch subsidiary Hiljo in Amsterdam. Kirin also owns Fides, the largest Dutch chrysanthemum breeding company. Kirin itself has developed new breeds of ornamental chrysanthemum, using tissue culture and cell engineering techniques.
Suntory has developed a virus resistant transgenic petunia. Suntory is shareholder of Calgene Pacific. Suntory and Calgene Pacific have set up a joint venture named International Flower Development (IFD). The aim of this joint venture is to apply genetic engineering technology to produce blue flowers, particularly blue roses. Suntory holds the marketing rights for Japan, CP for Australia, North America and Europe. IFD has applied for world patent on several techniques to control flower colour in plants.
Sapporo is involved in the cultivation of orchid plants, using cloning techniques, including tissue culture.
Jos Bijman

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