ICAR-DFR, Pune Organizes Brainstorming Session on ‘Status of Rose Breeding in India: Challenges and Opportunities’

22 October 2026, Pune

ICAR–Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune, organized a virtual brainstorming session on “Status of Rose Breeding in India: Challenges and Opportunities” today. The session brought together scientists, rose breeders, farmers, and floriculture industry stakeholders to deliberate on the current status of rose breeding in India, emerging market trends, breeding challenges, intellectual property rights (IPR), varietal evaluation, and commercialization opportunities.

Dr K. V. Prasad, Director, ICAR-DFR, Pune, delivered the welcome address and presented an overview of the status of rose breeding in India. He emphasized the need to develop and promote Indian-bred rose varieties to strengthen domestic breeding capabilities and support commercial cut-flower production. He also highlighted the importance of creating awareness among industry stakeholders about IPR provisions, varietal protection, and their implications for the floriculture sector.

The technical presentation on “Rose Breeding in India: Challenges and Opportunities” reviewed the progress of rose breeding in the country and highlighted initiatives undertaken to develop improved rose varieties for commercial cultivation. The presentation also underscored the need to develop varieties that meet industry requirements and evolving domestic and international market preferences. The importance of hastening seed germination in rose was highlighted to achieve tangible results within a shorter period.

Experiences in rose breeding and varietal evaluation under protected cultivation were shared, emphasizing the importance of systematic evaluation of rose varieties under protected conditions to identify promising genotypes with desirable flower quality, stem length, vase life, and other commercially important traits. Such evaluations are essential for identifying suitable varieties for commercial cut-flower production and meeting market expectations.

The importance of evaluating rose varieties under farmers’ field conditions and systematically documenting their performance was also emphasized to assess their practical potential. The need to strengthen research institutions with adequate scientific manpower and essential infrastructure was highlighted to ensure effective and result-oriented breeding and evaluation programmes.

Industry representatives shared their experiences and perspectives on rose cultivation, varietal preferences, market demands, and commercialization. The deliberations highlighted the need to strengthen indigenous rose breeding programmes, develop market-oriented varieties, improve collaboration between research institutions and industry, and enhance awareness of IPR and varietal protection. The participants also emphasized the importance of evaluating promising varieties under both protected cultivation and farmers’ field conditions to establish their suitability for commercial production.

The brainstorming session provided a platform for meaningful interaction between researchers and industry stakeholders and identified opportunities to strengthen Indian rose breeding programmes and enhance the competitiveness of Indian-bred rose varieties in domestic and international markets.

A total of 57 participants, including industry representatives, farmers, scientists from ICAR-DFR, Pune, and scientists associated with the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Floriculture, participated in the session.

(Source: ICAR–Directorate of Floricultural Research, Pune)