CRISPR-Adventskalender

Petunias are widespread as ornamental plants and enjoy great popularity due to their variety of flower shapes and colors. Petunias continuously develop new flowers over a prolonged period of time, and therefore are valued for their excellent longevity. The individual flowers, on the other hand, fade quickly. South Korean scientists at Kyungpook National University have identified a gene that inhibits the production of a plant hormone (ethylene) and switched it off with CRISPR/Cas. Cultivation trials of the edited plants showed a longer flowering time of individual flowers.