Nikkei News via Agnet April 23/04 - II

Blue chrysanthemums and speckled carnations are, according to this story, just two of the unique kinds of flowers that are heading to market thanks to clever manipulations using genetic engineering techniques.

The story says that companies like Suntory Ltd. and Kirin Brewery Co. stand to reap huge profits in the cut flower business, where the markets for roses and carnations are huge and the one for chrysanthemums reigns supreme with annual sales in excess of 100 billion yen.

Suntory already markets a recombinant carnation and is progressing with development of a recombinant rose. But recently it also succeeded in genetically engineering a blue chrysanthemum. The work was carried out in cooperation with the National Institute of Floricultural Science and the Nara Institute of Science and Technology.