Equiflor is excited to introduce our eleventh breeder NIRP International

HISTORY

NIRP International S.A. is a global leader in the research, breeding, selection, and marketing of new cut rose and garden rose varieties. Established in France in the 1960s, NIRP has grown substantially over the ensuing decades due to its tradition of professionalism combined with passion.

The company is directed and managed by the Ghione family who have worked in the field of rose cultivation for three generations. Its headquarters are in the South of France and it is also based in Ventimiglia, on the Italian Riviera. This Italian location is dedicated to breeding and selection, pre-commercial tests, and production of propagating material.

In Latin America, NIRP Ecuador C. Ltda. takes care of the selection, representation and marketing of NIRP varieties. Their beautiful and updated showcase is located at Rosaprima (Cayambe) and is always open to customer visits. NIRP East Africa Ltd., located in Naivasha, Kenya, is dedicated to a specific breeding program for the East African market, as well as showcasing and budwood production. NIRP also has showcases and agents in Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Ethiopia, Iran, China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia.

In order to show its many varieties, NIRP International participates in every important international floriculture exhibition, while also organizing Open Door Days at its showcases all over the world.

RESEARCH & BREEDING

The NIRP breeding program is one of the largest of any ornamental breeder in the world, with vast human, financial, and technological resources dedicated to the selection and breeding of new varieties.

Every year on the different breeding lines, 40,000 crossings are performed and 300,000 seeds are produced and grown for selection. In the breeding phase, the varieties to be crossed are chosen with specific targets in mind, based on their country of origin. These include color, bud size and shape, stem length, productivity, and how long they last after harvest.

The chosen varieties are grown in specific testing and pre-commercial areas, subject to strict supervision. Beginning in the second year of selection, the best varieties are sent to NIRP testing locations in each production country for further evaluation in specific climate conditions. They also send trials of these varieties to their best customers in each country, to test them under various growing systems. Moreover, new varieties are shown to main buyers and distributors in order to see how customers will respond to them.

All this testing and information collection can take up to five or six years. At that point, only the best varieties are chosen by NIRP for commercial introduction: From an initial population of hundreds of thousands of seedlings, only a few varieties are chosen, named and patented worldwide.

To learn more about NIRP International S.A., visit www.nirpinternational.com.