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Scientists Genetically Transplant Flower Smells
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by Terri Potratz | October 7, 2008 at 09:49 am
302 views | 17 Recommendations | 7 comments
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Scientists have discovered how to transplant scents from one flower to another through genetics, and also boost the smell of flowers up to 10 times, according to research published in the Plant Biotechnology Journal.
The scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have successfully introduced the genes from a rose into a petunia and from a rose into a carnation.
They have also swapped smells between carnations, petunias and clarcias.
Eventually they hope the technology could also be used in yeast so that flowery smells can be added to wine, chocolate and bread.
Researchers Alexander Vainstein and Michal Moyal Ben-Tzvi were able to manipulate the flowers and not only increase the potency of their scent, but they also altered the natural rhythm of scent production by causing the plants to emit fragrance day and night.
This discovery has major implications for the flower and fragrance industries, but the procedure could also be transferable to other items such as fruits and vegetables.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (7)
at 10:49 on October 7th, 2008
Flowers are Beautiful and they smell lovely too.
Mother nature makes many beautiful things!
rainbow magic has contributed a photo to this story.
at 11:08 on October 7th, 2008
This is actually just a close-up of the floral arrangement from my father's memorial service. There were 13 white carnations (as they were his favorite flowers to buy for my mother & he always bought a baker's dozen) and five red roses to represent my mother, brother, niece, nephew, and me.
Neil Noland has contributed a photo to this story.
at 12:55 on October 7th, 2008
Terri Potratz, I like this story. It's good stuff.
That is great! Now can they make hard boiled eggs smell like flowers?
at 13:02 on October 7th, 2008
Soon enough I'm sure!
at 13:06 on October 7th, 2008
Terri Potratz, I like this story. It's good stuff. The plant breeders have traded beautiful scent for showy flowers in plants like roses, maybe this will put some back. I'll bet someone is working on putting chocolate smell into turnips. yuck.
at 15:17 on October 7th, 2008
Terri, good stuff.
at 00:05 on October 10th, 2008
Sure, modify flower genes to make them smell different. That's plausible. But modifying yeast? It isn't even a plant, it doesn't have smell-making bits. I really doubt that will ever happen.