Gene decoding, surprising discovery that red roses are originally... yellow

Currently, there are more than 150-200 natural rose species and over 35,000 domesticated varieties in the world - Photo: REUTERS

This is the result of a large-scale genome analysis by researchers at Beijing Forestry University, China. All current rose varieties, from white, red, pink to peach, belong to the genus Rosa in the family Rosaceae.

By reconstructing the traits of ancestors through genome analysis, scientists have traced back to a common origin - a flower with single yellow petals and compound leaves of seven leaflets. The discovery was recently published in the journal Nature Plants .

Accounting for nearly 30% of the cut flower market, roses are the most widely grown ornamental plant and have been successfully domesticated to meet aesthetic tastes throughout the ages. The rose breeding revolution began in the 1700s, marked by the cross-breeding of ancient Chinese wild roses with domesticated European varieties.

Today we have more than 150-200 natural rose species and over 35,000 domesticated varieties, with a wide variety of blooming frequencies, fragrances and colors.

However, faced with the challenge of global climate change, breeders have shifted from focusing on pure beauty to developing rose varieties that are more resistant to factors such as drought and disease, as well as easier to care for.

Harnessing the genetic resources of wild roses - which possess valuable traits such as fragrance and disease resistance - is seen as a promising strategy for creating sustainable and low-maintenance rose varieties.

To better understand the origin and evolution of the genus Rosa, including both wild and domesticated varieties, the researchers collected 205 specimens from more than 80 Rosa species, representing 84% of the species recorded in the "Flora of China".

The samples were analyzed using genome sequencing, population genetics, and other methods to trace ancestral traits. They studied 707 single-copy genes that were identified as conserved genetic markers, including single nucleotide polymorphisms—the most common form of genetic variation in DNA. These data helped scientists map the evolutionary history, geography, and relationships among rose species.

The study also offers new insight into the widely accepted view that the genus Rosa originated in Central Asia. Genetic evidence points to two major centers of diversity of roses in China – one in the arid northwest, where small-leafed yellow roses evolved, and one in the warm, humid southwest, where fragrant white roses flourished.

The researchers stress that these findings provide a solid foundation for the use of wild rose genetic resources, which could aid in the re-domestication and innovative breeding of modern rose varieties.

Read more Back to Topics

Back to topic

VNA

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/giai-ma-gen-bat-ngo-phat-hien-hoa-hong-do-von-mau-vang-2025042108533658.htm