Introduction
Plant breeding, besides producing better crop plants, has also focused on species that
are attractive and have aesthetically valuable characteristics. Today, a whole new area
ofthe flower industry has evolved and rapidly expanded world-wide (Mol, Stuitje and
van der Krol, 1989). Traditionally, breeding of ornamental plants has been based
mainly on continuous crossing and selection. Several decades oftraditional breeding
have combined commercially important characteristics into elite genotypes. Devel...
opments in tissue culture and methods of molecular genetics now give an alternative
approach to change single characteristics in these genotypes. Furthennore, possibilities
of producing completely new characteristics are no longer limited by the natural
genetic variation existing in the target species, since genes of any origin can be
transferred into the pre-existing gene pool. This is not possible by using traditional
methods.
Breeding of ornamental species via genetic engineering focuses on many characteristics
that are the same as in traditional breeding programmes. One of the most
important goals from the flower industry's perspective is to modify production
characteristics such as flower productivity, timing and synchrony of flowering,
disease and pest resistance and vase life. Nevertheless, flower morphology and flower
colour are of the greatest importance in directing the markets in the flower industry,
as characteristics that are judged by the consumer. Ever-changing preferences and
fashion increase the demand for rapid production of new characteristics in ornamental
plants.