Red Roses for Mother's Day? How About Something New, Something Blue?

Most people have heard about how biotechnology can help produce new medicines to treat disease, or about how biotechnology can create fuel from grasses, wood chips, cornstalks, even algae!  And most people know that biotechnology is helping farmers around the world grow more food crops that are resistant to insects, plant diseases and environmental stresses.

But did you know that biotechnology is being used to improve flowers and has many applications in the floral industry?

Throughout history, plant breeders have cross-bred existing varieties of flowers to produce new species with different shapes, colors, disease resistance or other characteristics.  Today, biotechnology provides an even more precise science for enhancing flowers. 

Thanks to genetic engineering, flowers are heartier and last longer after they’re cut.  And they come in a wider variety of shapes, sizes, scents and colors – even blue!