Article from Sarah Knapton, Science Editor in The Telegraph, 03 Jul 2015 :
» Intensive breeding has wiped out much of the bouquet of modern roses but scientists now believe they could bring it back.
Lost fragrances could be restored to roses after scientists found how to boost the key ingredient in rose oil.
It is said that the secret to happiness is remembering to stop and smell the roses.
But that heady scent, once synonymous with an English country garden, has dulled in recent decades as breeders favour longevity and colour over the fragrance of the blooms.
Yet all may not be lost after scientists discovered the enzyme which triggers roses to produce their intoxicating aroma, in a breakthrough which could bring back the scent of summer’s past.
The trick is encouraging the roses to produce greater levels of an organic compound called ‘geraniol’ which is produced in petals and is the key ingredient in rose oil.
Researchers at the University of Lyon have puzzled for more than 15 years about which enzymes are triggering the production of ‘geraniol’ and have now found it is just down to one.
The enzyme – called RhNUDX1 – appears to boost levels of ‘geraniol’ and researchers believe that botanists could be able to genetically engineer forgotten scents back into roses.(…)
The American horticultarilist Arthur Bouquet (CORR) claimed that just 50 per cent of today’s roses have a noticeable scent, compared with 75 per cent in the 19th century.
Jonathan Gershenzon, of the Max Planck Institute in Germany, said: “Floral scent is an important trait in ornamental roses that has provided sensual pleasures for humans since antiquity.I
“However, most modern rose cultivars used for cut flowers have little fragrance as a result of breeding preferences for traits such as colour and longevity.
“Restoring scent attributes by breeding or biotechnological means requires a detailed understanding of the biosynthesis of rose scent.”
However getting the most out of the scent of roses may be all in the timing. Sniffing as the first dawn sunlight catches the petals is likely to produce a far stronger bouquet than later in the day.
The research was published in the journal Science.”
The trend for cut flowers has led breeders to select for roses which last, but which have little fragrance
The breakthrough could restore lost scents to many English roses
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