# Florigene

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Florigene
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Florigene.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florigene
> Source revision: 1285006741
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Florigene" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (July 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Florigene Type Subsidiary Parent Suntory

**Florigene** is a [biotechnology](/source/Biotechnology) company based in [Melbourne](/source/Melbourne), Australia, which is principally involved in the application of in-house genetic modification techniques to develop novel colour expressions in a range of commercial plants.

Florigene has a subsidiary division in the [Netherlands](/source/Netherlands) and other production operations around the world.

## History

Florigene has long been associated with genetic engineering floriculture. Founded as Calgene Pacific Ltd in 1986 with institutional backing from [Amcor](/source/Amcor), CP Ventures Ltd, the Japan-Australia Venture Capital Fund and MPW Rural Development, it was one of Australia's first biotechnology companies.

In 1991, Calgene's research team announced that it had isolated the gene responsible for the expression of the colour [blue](/source/Blue) in [petunias](/source/Petunia), beating out rivals around the globe by a matter of weeks. This breakthrough paved the way for the acquisition of Dutch rival, Florigene, in 1993. Calgene assumed Florigene's corporate name in 1994 to capitalise on that firm's international reputation. Since then, Florigene has developed naturally long-life and disease resistant [carnations](/source/Carnations), new morphologies of [gerberas](/source/Gerbera) and natural colour modifications of the three main [cut flowers](/source/Cut_flowers) - [roses](/source/Rose), [carnations](/source/Carnations) and [chrysanthemums](/source/Chrysanthemums), which it exports throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia.

## Public float

Florigene prepared for a public float, hiring [Credit Suisse First Boston](/source/Credit_Suisse_First_Boston) to develop a prospectus and secure investors across [Asia](/source/Asia), [Europe](/source/Europe) and the [U.S.](/source/United_States), but was instead acquired by global agrochemicals giant Nufarm Ltd in 1999.

## Ownership

In 2003, [Japanese](/source/Japan) brewing giant and long-term partner [Suntory](/source/Suntory) acquired 98.5% equity in Florigene from [Nufarm](/source/Nufarm).

## Developments and potential

The significance of Florigene's technology is the brand potential of its novel flower varieties - a blue rose is a marketer's dream. In 2004, after 20 years and A$45 million worth of exhaustive research and prolific patenting, Florigene and Suntory scientists announced to the world the development of the first rose in the pipeline to a true blue rose.[1] It is expected to be commercialised in the coming years.

## See also

- [Suntory](/source/Suntory)

- [Blue rose](/source/Blue_rose)

## External links

- [Florigene corporate website](http://www.florigene.com)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Hornyak, Tim (15 September 2011). ["Woo your love with engineered blue roses"](https://www.cnet.com/culture/woo-your-love-with-engineered-blue-roses/). *CNET*. Retrieved 16 June 2023.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Florigene](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florigene) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florigene?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.