De Raíz: The INTA has a "Floriculture" area that researches and develops new ornamental varieties from

Visitors to the INTA site in Hurlingham are often surprised. Among designed meadows, greenhouses, and collections of ornamental plants, there operates a team that every year researches, improves, and launches new varieties for the Argentine floriculture sector. There works and directs the Floriculture Institute the agronomist María Silvina Soto, who summarizes the scope of the organization with a clear phrase: “INTA is present throughout Argentina, covering different agricultural and livestock productions.” In floriculture, this scope translates into applied research, genetic development, and permanent technical support. The Floriculture Institute was born a little over two decades ago from a cooperation agreement between Argentina and Japan, through JICA, the Japanese cooperation agency. Silvina recalls this origin as a decisive starting point: “Japan signed an agreement with Argentina for the development of ornamental varieties based on native genetic resources.” Since then, the ...