DEPARTMENT OF HORTICULTURE ASSAM AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY JORHAT-785013

CREDIT SEMINAR TOPIC : Speaker

GENETIC TRANSFORMATION OF ORNAMENTAL CROPS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO FLOWES.

: Ruby Sharma

Date : 17-12-2012 Time : 3-4 PM Venue :

Seminar Room, Horticulture Dept. of

Regd. No.: 11-AMJ-54 Major Advisor : Dr. Sunil Bora

ABSTRACT
The global flower industry thrives on novelty (Chandler et al., 2005). Genetic engineering is providing a valuable means of improving ornamental crops by the addition of desirable traits to existing horticulturally-adapted cultivars (Hammond, 2006) or by expanding the floriculture gene pool to promote the generation of new commercial varieties (Tanaka et al., 2005). Ornamental plant transformation has advanced considerably in the last decade. Now over 40 genera have been reported to be transformed. The primary methods of creating transgenic ornamental species have been Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and Microprojectile bombardment (Brand, 2006). Since floricultural and ornamental crops are grown for aesthetic, non edible purpose there is likely to be less concern in bio safety issues compared to other food crops (Swarnapiria,2009). Hence, there is considerable potential for developing transgenics in ornamental crops. The production of novel flower colour has been the first success story in floriculture genetic engineering. Other traits that have received attention include floral scent, plant architecture, flower longevity, disease resistance and abiotic stress resistance (Tanaka et al., 2005). While technical challenges for production of transgenic ornamental plants still exist, the greatest challenges to realizing the potential benefits of transgenic ornamental plants are questionable public acceptance of transgenic plants and the prohibitive costs of generating environmental impact data needed to gain regulatory clearance (Brand, 2006). Bioluminescent orchids, novel coloured carnations and blue roses are the significant outcomes of the genetic transformation studies in ornamentals (Swarnapiria,2009).

References:
Swarnapiria,R.Genetic Transformation in Ornamentals-A Review. Agric. Rev., 30 (2) : 120 -131, 2009 Chandler,Stephen F.,Chin Yi Lu., Biotechnology in Ornamental Horticulture, In Vitro Cell. Dev. Biol. Plant 41: 591-601,2005

Hammond, J. Current Status of Genetically Modified Ornamentals. Acta Hort. 722. ISHS 2006 Tanaka,Y., Katsumoto,Y.,Brugliera,F.,Mason,J.,Genetic Engineering in Floriculture, Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (2005) 80: 1-24 Brand,Mark H. Ornamental Plant Transformation. Journal of Crop Improvement, Vol. 17, No.1/ 2 (33/34),2006,pp.27-50