The World's First Blue Rose...

A truly blue rose has been the ultimate aspirations of rose breeders since 1840, when the horticultural societies of Britain and Belgium offered a prize of 500,000 francs to the first person to produce a genuinely blue rose. The feat wasn’t easy, but the company that created them is hoping it will be worth it.

It took 14 years of study with Japanese and Australian researchers to create the world’s first blue rose. Sometimes, it seems, Mother Nature just doesn’t want to budge. It was finally accomplished by implanting the gene that leads to the synthesis of the blue pigment Delphinidin in pansies. This pigment does not exist naturally in roses. The rose is the first in the world with the genetic potential to produce 'true blue' roses, spanning the spectrum from baby blue to navy.

The Suntory rose is also historic for another reason. It is potentially the first commercial plant in the world to exploit RNA interference (RNAi) technology. RNAi technology is used for research and development across the biological and medical sciences. The Japanese company that created the genetically modified blue roses, will start selling them commercially next year. Suntory Ltd, also a major whisky distiller, hopes to sell several hundred thousand blue roses a year, company spokesman Kazumasa Nishizaki said.

"As its price may be a bit high, we are targeting demand for luxurious cut flowers, such as for gifts,'' he said.

The exact price and commercial name for the blue rose, which was first created in 2004, have still not been decided. The company is now growing the rose experimentally in Australia and the United States to get approval for sales.

If all goes well, next year’s Valentine lovers will have a new, rarer, option for those who feel red is getting a little predictable.

Posted by Rebecca Sato.

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Link: http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,23157307-23109,00.html

Comments

[ROBBIE ALMANZA]

IVE KNOWN A GIRL FOR SOME TIME NOW... I JUST KINDA REUNITED WITH HERE AND JUST DECIDED TO ASK WHAT HER FAVORITE COLOR IS...AND SHE SAID BLUE SO I STARTED LOOKIN FOR BLUE ROSES. I KEEP FINDING THE BLUE ROSES THAT ARE DYED BLUE. IM READING YOUR STORY ON THE BLUE ROSE AND ITS SAYIN THAT THIS IS A REAL BLUE ROSE. IS IT? AND HOW MUCH DO THEY GO FOR. IM TRYIN TO DO THIS FAST SO LET ME KNOW ASAP. THANKS

[Aery]

That's incredible.

It's just like out of a fairy-tale.

Or that silly play where his little sister can't say 'pleurosis', and it comes out 'blue roses'. Glass Minagre, I think...

[Jennifer]

YOU SICKEN ME!! my dad had that idea for almost 45 years. it's his birthday saturday and now i have to break it to him that all that hoping for that long was wasted. btw its not natural. tampering with genetics doesn't use real things. all metal contamination and such. i hope the business crumples, burns, and get washed away never to return. and i dont care what you say about me. or think or spread rumors i really dont care for fans of poor quality fakes. (mad and sad faces) :`( >:(

[mojo]

Aery got some wise words for ya suck it up and harden up u'll get far in life with that advise

[hope]

Thats great! I love the color blue.
CAnt'wait til' comes to stores or online. ^^

[Mondia]

I have wanted a real blue rose all my life! Too bad I would probably kill it!