Fluorescent flowers

2001/10/25 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Genetika

In Italy they have formed a spectacular bouquet of flowers. They have made fluorescent flowers with genetic engineering. Those that look like normal flowers become distant greens under ultraviolet light. The creator of these flowers, Tito Schiva, is a researcher at the Floriculture Institute of San Remo and, in his opinion, "fluorescent flowers show that genetic engineering can also be used for beauty". They have used green fluorescent protein to transform flowers. This protein is obtained from jellyfish and the fluorescent flower is obtained by mixing it with the flower gene.

The brightness of these flowers is manifested by ultraviolet lights, so the placement of this type of flowers at home will not bring much. They may be ideal for dark clubs and bars, but it still doesn't seem like that happens. There are two obstacles to the marketing of fluorescent roses. On the one hand, the things that are done with genetic engineering are taken in markets with suspicions and, on the other, the authorization to market a genetically modified product costs a million dollars in Italy.

Australian company Florigene manufactures genetically modified flowers. They transform the colors of carnations, roses and daisies. However, these flowers have problems for marketing in Europe due to legislation regulating products modified by genetic engineering.