Ornamentals

Abstract

Ornamental crops offer several interesting features for biotechnology. As a highly diverse group of different crops many morphological and physiological traits like e.g. flower structure, colours and scent are unique to certain taxa and have been intensively studied. Furthermore, plant transformation protocols have been published for more then 40 genera. However, beyond basic research commercialisation of transgenic ornamental crops is lagging behind major agricultural and horticultural crops. Here we present a selection of successful approaches that have been used to modify major characters of ornamental crops, some of which may have a market potential in the near future.