A chorus of dancing lady orchids greeted reporters yesterday as a team of scientists sponsored by the National Science Council said that they had uncovered the genetic secrets that lay behind the ladies' appealing beauty.
Yeh Kai-wun (
PHOTO: SEAN CHAO, TAIPEI TIMES
Those mysteries could be unlocked, he said, by investigating how the genes in the psuedobulb caused differentiation in the plants.
Yeh's team, sponsored by the science council, is composed of more than 30 researchers from National Taiwan University, National Chung Hsing University, and National Pingtung University of Science and Technology.
The two-year research project was launched in August last year. So far, Yeh said, researchers had found more than 1,000 genes.
In addition, Yeh said, scientists discovered the unique transformation mechanism for nutrients inside the pseudobulb.
"The product of the oncidium's photosynthesis is accumulated in the form of manna, a carbohydrate, which is transformed into amylum and then glucose to supply energy for reproduction. It's unique in nature," Yeh said.
Yeh's team also discovered that injecting various hormones into the pseudobulb would increase the possibility of blossoming. G4 and G7 -- modified versions of the growth-promoting chemical giberellin -- are good choices, according to Yeh.
In nature, Yeh said, the probability of the pseudobulbs flowering was less than 20 percent.
Once related technologies are developed in the lab, Yeh said, the science council could share the technology in order to increase orchid production in Taiwan.
"Our goal is to build Taiwan into the kingdom of oncidiums, which have been one of the best-selling orchids, both domestically and overseas," Yeh said.
Taiwan exports about 14,000 lady orchid cut flowers annually, earning about NT$360 million. Japan is the largest overseas market for the orchids.
Yeh said that researchers in Germany have expressed interest in developing a strategic partnership with Taiwan on orchid research.
Su Jong-ching (蘇仲卿), director of the National Science and Technology Program for Agricultural Biotechnology, said studying the oncidium was promising -- especially since Taiwan was once known as the kingdom of the phalaenopsis or moth orchid.
Due to close interaction with China, Su said, competitors across the strait started growing the Taiwan moth orchid and that had a severely detrimental effect on the industry here.
"When carrying out international research cooperation, we should remember the lesson we learned from the moth orchid," Su said.
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