Why a rose by any other name does NOT smell as sweet: Scientists discover the flowers are losing their scent because consumers want better looking blooms
• Scientists have pinpointed the exact enzyme responsible for the aroma
• Gardeners have been breeding roses for their appearance and not smell
• Wild roses have a more pungent smell to attract bees to pollinate
• Modified roses have been changed so they last longer as cut flowers
By COLIN FERNANDEZ

They say a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
But according to researchers, the flowers have been gradually losing their evocative scent – because gardeners have bred them for their appearance rather than their smell.
Now, scientists have pinpointed exactly how the flower produces their sweet aroma by identifying the gene that ‘switches on’ the scent.

Scientists have discovered that roses that have been bred for their looks have lost out on their scent
And they hope the development may allow gardeners to cultivate blooms that look good and smell good – by making sure the gene is present in any new varieties of rose.
The team made their discovery by comparing two roses – Papa Meilland, which has a strong fragrance, and Rouge Meilland, which has very little scent. They identified a gene that ‘switches on’ a crucial enzyme called RhNUDX1. The chemical acts in the cells of the flower’s petals to generate a chemical called monoterpene geraniol, one of the sweetest-smelling parts of rose oil.
Wild roses could not survive without this scent, as it attracts bees to pollinate its flower. But over the years, roses, particularly those for the cut flower market, have mostly been bred for their appearance – and many have lost their scent.
Because the flowers often have to travel hundreds of miles to reach the shops, their toughness has also been valued more than their fragrance. As a result, the scent of roses has suffered, and become something of an afterthought. Researcher Philippe Hugueny, whose work was published in the journal Science, explained: ‘In cultivated roses, the scent has no reproductive function, it’s only for our pleasure. So if roses lose their scent it’s too bad. But if a wild rose lost its smell it would die out.’ He added: ‘We discovered roses use a special pathway to make monoterpenes which has not been shown in other plants.’
Mr Hugueny, of the French National Institute for Agricultural Research, said the find may help develop roses that look and smell good. While there is currently no demand for genetically modified roses in Europe, Mr Hugueny said that in Japan, where breeders have experimented with creating modifications including blue roses, the research might be considered useful.

Scientists have discovered that wild roses could not survive without their scent because it attracts bees, but the experts have found that those bred for the flower market need to be tougher and better looking