The flower industry gets the genetic engineering blues

The genetic engineering of plants over the past two decades has led to significant scientific, commercial and humanitarian successes, with more than 2.1 billion hectares cultivated worldwide. The vast majority of cultivation has been huge-scale commodity crops - corn, cotton, canola, soybean, sugar beet and alfalfa - while specialty crops such as fruits, nuts, vegetables and ornamental plants have been underrepresented. The commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) flowers has been especially neglected. Various laboratories worldwide are conducting research on various traits and flowers, the most intense interest focusing on carnation, rose, chrysanthemum and petunia, but the expense and uncertainty of government regulation is a hindrance. There are untapped economic opportunities in this sector, but for it to blossom, a regulatory climate that can spur development is critical. We need regulation that is scientifically defensible and risk-based.