Genetic engineering changing the world of plants

THE potted rhododendron Dr Mark Brand picks up in his laboratory looks pretty much like a regular plant. But in its genes are proteins that came from frogs - and it may well represent the future of gardening.

It is one of several rhododendrons Dr Brand has genetically treated by splicing the protein into the plant's cells. He hopes that the protein, discovered a few years ago by a pharmaceutical company, will make the plant more resistant to disease.

Dr Brand specialises in ornamental horticulture, a field that seems a perfect match for genetic engineering. He is one of several scientists working towards a more durable garden.

The University of Connecticut scientist, who tends his own garden at home, would one day like to develop a deer-resistant plant. Others hope to change the look and smell of our gardens by playing with the colours and fragrances of flowers.

The possibilities seem endless. A Danish company announced this year that it has developed flowers that can detect land mines. The petals change colour when the roots meet chemicals evaporating from land mines.

And with the help of the jellyfish's fluorescent protein, researchers at the