Key genes in orchids determined
By Su Meng-chuan
and Kayleigh Madjar / Staff reporter, with staff writer
National Chung Hsing University (NCHU) researchers have discovered certain genes in orchids that can be used to manipulate flower hue, prolong the flowering period and prevent wilting, which could reduce the time needed to produce new orchid varieties from seven years to two months.
There are more than 28,000 varieties of orchids, making them one of the largest and most diverse families of flowering plants, NCHU vice president and Graduate Institute of Biotechnology professor Yang Chang-hsien (楊長賢) said on Wednesday.
The popularity of orchids lies in their flowers, which are defined by a symmetrical perianth the non-reproductive elements of the flower separated by a distinct petal called the lip or labellum that attracts insects, he said.