THE M.S. SWAMINATHAN ROSE– A rose variety named after Prof. M S Swaminathan
Chennai (24 December 2021): India’s leading rose breeder named a new variety of rose after Prof. M S Swaminathan – THE M.S. SWAMINATHAN ROSE. The Rose is highly disease resistant with rich magenta purple colour with stimulating aroma. (Photo attached: MSS )
Kodaikanal-based M.S. Viraraghavan, India’s leading horticulturist and rose breeder, has bred and named it as THE M.S. SWAMINATHAN ROSE, in the honour of Prof. Swaminathan – father of India’s Green Revolution.
Prof. Swaminathan pioneered in bringing new approaches to the breeding of food crops which increased production and made India food self-sufficient.
Mr. Viraraghavan bred more than 100 new varieties of roses registered in his name.
THE M.S. SWAMINATHAN ROSE shrub grows up to 4-5 ft. with dark green granular surface large leaves with regular thorns. It results from a series of crosses with a ‘News’ variety of rose and other purple roses.
JEWEL OF MONKOMPU ROSE
A second new variety of rose named as “Jewel of Monkompu(JoM)” was bred by K. Sriram of Kasturirangan and Sriram, Bengaluru.
JoM is a sparkling pinkish Floribunda rose. Floribunda roses is hybrid of polyantha and tea roses, bloom freely with excellent shape and color, and the shrubs are quite hardy. The shrub of flower grows vigorously with glossy leaves and thornless.
Dr. Narendra Dadlani, Floriculture Scientist and former Director Horticulture, Govt. of India, New Delhi, handed over the two varieties to Prof. Swaminathan at his Chennai residence.
He also handed over a copy of his book – Indian Rose.
“It is the first book on Indian Roses, its history and technical aspects of their development and description of Indian rose varieties” said Dr. Dadlani.
