Ornamental plants often fall victim to lack of regular watering. OBS aims to help them stay healthier longer
Specific protocols for agrobacterium mediated gene transfer are developed for each species.
Drought tolerance
Through the world, drought-induced stress leads to substantial losses in agricultural production. Regions that experience harvest-reducing droughts will expand as climate change sets in.
But climate change has already reached domestic gardens. Over the past few years, watering of private gardens has been temporarily limited during dry periods by countries such as France, Australia and the United Kingdom.
In the ornamental plants sector worldwide, bedding and balcony plants are the most important segment. A lush growth with rich blooms requires the regular application of water. But this comes into conflict with an ever more mobile society in which people place great value on convenience.
Planting drought-resistant varieties in gardens or on balconies is not only consumer friendly; as water becomes ever scarcer, plants that tolerate dryness well are ecologically desirable.
With this in mind, we are working with transcription factors that regulate the defense mechanisms of plants in dry conditions. By applying suitable promoters to the transcription factors we can activate the natural defense systems of transgenic plants earlier and with greater effect.
Cold and frost tolerance
Plants for growing outside are increasingly bought on impulse. Appearance is naturally a decisive factor but so too is the weather. The first few sunny days of spring see many people looking forward to gardening again.
At present, however, many types of plant with little frost-tolerance, can be planted outside only when the risk of a late frost is over.
Frost-resistant bedding and balcony varieties allow for a significantly earlier planting and thus extend the season for this market segment.
The first transgenic petunia plants from our research trials have survived -6°C in the cool room. Optimising the technology will demonstrate even greater resistance.
Disease Resistance
Plants are generally resistant against most pathogens. They have developed a range of resistance strategies that are breached only occasionally.
The activity of resistance mechanisms is for the most part regulated by transcription factors. The Mendel company has succeeded in characterizing transcription factors that impart resistance to a wide range of mycotic pathogens in the Arabidopsis plant. (Arabidopsis is the fruit fly of genetic research in the plant world.) These types of pathogen include mildew, botrytis and sclerotinia which are economically important in garden planting.
We are investigating the activity of these transcription factors in ornamental plants and are testing their effect against harmful bacteria alongside mycopathogens.
