The implications of this develoment are huge AND very...

The implications of this develoment are huge AND very positive.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26045743-30417,00.html

Hi there,

An interesting recent post under TFC "the good oil in the genes" . However in my view my reply deserves to be a new thread...this discovery is HUGE!

It is interesting to see how differnt people view news in different ways. The previous post has a negative spin on the article – when I sit back at my desk and get REAL excited and further committed to TFC.

In terms of positive developments this is HUGE!

TFC is as we know continuing to develop the ginetics of its seedlings / plantations AND now this discovery offers the opportunity to enhance the process of natural selection without having to plant any trees and waiting for evidence of oil production!

This has to be some of the most important news for TFC posted to date. I agree patent this and keep the technology in Australia!

In terms of the previous post on genes being introduced into other oil producing plants, this remains in my mind just a possibility.

Possible means - in an infinite universe anything is possible, as distinct from 'risk' which indicates a reasonable chance of the event occurring.

Likewise GMO technology could be used to produce a range of other oils, proteins etc from a variety of plants and animals....the list goes on. However this technology is not as simple as it sounds and the production of complex outputs remains problematic.

The attached article to the previous post (copied again above for quick reference) notes that they have discovered "santalene synthase, which triggers the production of four essential oils".

From my perspective this is the gene that TRIGGERS the production of oils and not the genes responsible for oil production (which there are likely to be a few and are importantly very different)... I am no expert, but I have completed University level bio /plant/organic chemistry etc. And in my view there will be a range of genes involved in the 'total oil profile' of Sandalwood oil production.

In the future there always exist the possibility v.s. risk that new technologies could see the development of sandalwood oil from the likes of other oil producing plants through gene technology. However this is years away, if ever and even if the oil was produced in this way – I suspect significant resistance to its end use.

Keeping in mind the end use of sandalwood oil – high quality perfume houses - after sustainable / green supply. I don’t think Channel or any of the other houses would use sustainable GMO product with their ‘natural v.s synthetic strategies’. In addition the oil is destined for a number of consumables (mothwash / pan masala etc)…..anyone wish to eat GMO laced products (science says this is ok)…however we are dealing with people and their emotions….So I don’t see how this can be a threat to TFC Sandalwood oil production.

If anything such alternative technologyb / oil production would give competitive advantage to TFS as a real ethical, sustainable, and GREEN producer of sandalwood oil and further limit the likelihood of competition development as the barriers to entry into the lucrative end would be high.



SD