FIRST it was tropical fish that underwent genetic engineering. Now, the
process could soon be applied to another major Singapore export - orchids.
Plant Therapy: Learn how to grow healthy orchids and take care of indoor
plants at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Researchers here have found a way to shorten the flowering process of plants
by controlling a key gene, which gives farmers an advantage in the
competitive orchid trade.
'By speeding up the entire process, we'll be able to shorten the time needed
to get blooms from each plant,' said Assistant Professor Yu Hao, the study's
main researcher.
That could spell big profits in Singapore. The Republic is the second
largest orchid producer after Thailand, and has a 15 per cent share of the
global market.

More at:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/tec...229814,00.html

--
Reka

I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
http://www.rolbox.it/hukari/index.html




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Reka,

Very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

This sounds like it could be a great thing for those growers who are eager
to make a profit in a shorter amount of time, or those who are impatient to
see their beauties bloom. When I first heard how long it takes an orchid to
grow from seed to blooming size, I was quite shocked.

On the other hand, I wonder what the negative side effects of this genetic
engineering can be. I noticed that the article mentioned that the speeding
up process has to be turned off once the buds develop, or it might lead to
deformed blooms. I wonder if the engineered orchids flower as long as normal
ones of the same species though. Also will the plant's life expectancy
change due to this process? Will it be less resistant, or more? It would be
really neat if orchids could be genetically engineered to make them even
harder to kill than they already are, by making them less susceptible to
fungus for example?

Anyway this does seem to open up interesting new horizons. I wonder how
controversial this will be among experienced growers.

Joanna

"Reka" wrote in message
...
FIRST it was tropical fish that underwent genetic engineering. Now, the
process could soon be applied to another major Singapore export - orchids.
Plant Therapy: Learn how to grow healthy orchids and take care of indoor
plants at the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Researchers here have found a way to shorten the flowering process of
plants
by controlling a key gene, which gives farmers an advantage in the
competitive orchid trade.
'By speeding up the entire process, we'll be able to shorten the time
needed
to get blooms from each plant,' said Assistant Professor Yu Hao, the
study's
main researcher.
That could spell big profits in Singapore. The Republic is the second
largest orchid producer after Thailand, and has a 15 per cent share of the
global market.

More at:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/tec...229814,00.html

--
Reka

I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.
Mark Twain (1835 - 1910)
http://www.rolbox.it/hukari/index.html




---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.558 / Virus Database: 350 - Release Date: 02.01.04