Multiflora rose carries Rose rosette in some specimens. But some don't develop this and show resistance. They should selective breed the specimens that show resistance, then hybrize with knockout roses that show resistance to this.

If selective breeding is done to find rosette resistant roses, they can then be the the roses used in creating more cultivars resistant to Rose rosette.

Keith ..

You might be interested in these links:

http://www.gpnmag.com/usda-giv...

http://americanhort.theknowled...

Smiles,
Lyn

I wonder if the part of that 4.5 million spent on gene mapping will end up with GMO roses with all the complications and resistant people have shown toward vegetable crops, hopefully not. There is such opposition to the GMO thing, it might be hard to market even successful results.

RoseBlush1 said:Keith ..

You might be interested in these links:

http://www.gpnmag.com/usda-giv...

http://americanhort.theknowled...

Smiles,
Lyn

I was trying to find William Radlers contact info, he developed knockout roses and those are the closest to being resistant. Instead of fighting the enemy (multiflora) why not use its resistance and put into our garden roses. ;)

Keith ...

The Knock Out roses are not resistant to RRD, but were bred to be more resistant to black spot.

http://www.tipsforgardeningonl...

Breeders are working to develop roses that are resistant to RRD, but it's not an easy problem to solve.

Lyn

I see a lot of RRD infected Knockouts around here, and unfortunately a lot of folks don't recognize the problem and don't dig out the plants in a timely manner. Breeding for resistance is a good idea though, and I don't think there would be such resistance to GMO ornamental plants, as most folks against GMOs are more concerned with food crops (health concerns and labeling issues), and how they promote widespread use of Roundup, which harms the environment.

Knock out roses distributed by disreputable growers to big box stores is one of the biggest potential causes for spreading rosette disease, IMO.

I am beginning to miss the good old days when no one but me bought roses because "you can't grow roses here."

I suspect the government funds will be used to study insecticides for mites for use by commercial growers.

Andi, I think you're right. The ease of Knockouts has made them a widespread landscape plant, in many places where mass plantings don't get much oversight by knowledgeable gardeners. I know of a few commercial landscapes in town with infected plants.