Horticultural Science and Biotechnology – University of Copenhagen

Plant and Environmental Sciences > Research > Crop sciences > Horticultural Science ...

Contact research group leader

Renate Müller
Professor
M: ren@plen.ku.dk
Ph: +45 35 33 78 75

Horticultural Science and Biotechnology addresses topics within genetics, physiology and production of ornamental plants, fruits and new crops with high value. Our research focus is flower- and reproduction biology, fruit and berry physiology, quality improvement, postharvest and ethylene biology. Additionally, we integrate processing and wine production, and emerging technologies for organic fruit production.

Our research addresses both classical breeding and molecular crop improvement including genetic engineering. Genetic modification results in improved quality and postharvest performance, thus enabling sustainable production. We have developed a platform for natural transformation using Agrobacterium rhizogenes, a non-GMO technology. We use molecular techniques to understand basic plant processes, regulation of plant secondary metabolism or elucidation of hormonal regulation and signaling pathways in plants.

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Research themes

  • Reproduction biology and interspecific hybridization
  • Ethylene biology and postharvest physiology
  • Genetic engineering and plant biotechnology
  • Plant transformation and regeneration
  • Domestication potential of new plants
  • Indoor air purification by plants
  • Fruit and berry genetic resources, physiology and quality
  • Cool climate viticulture and enology

Current research projects

  • Interspecific and intergeneric hybridization
  • Effects of beneficial microbes on crop physiology
  • Flower induction in ornamental plant species
  • Postharvest quality and ethylene sensitivity in Campanula flowers
  • Effects of rol-genes from A. rhizogenes on crop quality, flower physiology and the floral transcriptome
  • Agrobacterium rhizogenes ORFs 11-15 specific roles in compact plant traits: a phenotypic to transcriptomic approach (ASPECT)
  • Elicitation of anthocyanins in hairy root cultures of black carrots – interplay of genotype and environment)
  • Exploring ethylene signalling in ornamental plants
  • Reducing apple scab (Venturia inaequalis) by strategic irrigation (ProtecFruit)
  • Unravelling the domestication potential of Plukenetia
  • Natvin Project – Natural Danish wines
  • Plantepigment – Natural pigments from berries
  • Genetic diversity and GWAS in the Danish apple gene bank collection

Group members

For students

Are you interested in doing a project, you can read more about your options in the project database

  • Project database for students

    • Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences have various bachelor and master programs.

  • Read more about the options here