Applications of Plant Biotechnology to Ornamental Crops

Abstract

In many cases of ornamental crops, biotechnology applications are proving to be very difficult, but there have been several advances made with engineering a wide variety of genetic traits in floriculture crops and turfgrass. Significant gains have also been made in cloning important genes that are proving to be involved with biological processes that scientists hope to manipulate in ornamental crops in the future. The purpose of the rest of this chapter is to provide a status report on the progress that has been made in applying biotechnology to plants grown for the ornamental characteristics, and to project where research efforts will be focused over the next few years.

Another Look at Interpreting Research to Manage the Effects of Ethylene in Ambient Air

“…Petunias have already been transformed with the dominant mutant A. thaliana ethylene receptor gene etr1‐1 to inhibit ethylene responsiveness, and while it did increase floral longevity, its decrease in ethylene sensitivity also caused transformed plants to have significantly less adventitious root formation (Wilkinson et al, 1997; Clark, 2004; Clark et al, 1999). The increase in floral longevity was outweighed by the reduced root development, showing the complexity of genetic solutions.…”

Flower‐specific expression of the Agrobacterium tumefaciens isopentenyltransferase gene results in radial expansion of floral organs in Petunia hybrida

“…Recent progress in biotechnology has allowed the manipulation of several characteristics of floricultural crops that determine their commercial value. These include flower shape, colour, longevity, morphology, scent and plant architecture (Clark, 2004). Larger flower size is an important commercial trait in ornamental crops, and there are many examples of the conventional breeding of selected varieties to produce larger flowers, as in the agronomic horticultural field.…”