The TARI Flower Experimental Branch was first established as a Floriculture Research Center in 1998, under the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan to meet the needs of the thriving floral industry. In 2023, with the establishment of the Ministry of Agriculture, the center was upgraded to the Floricultural Experimental Branch of the Agricultural Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture.

    The branch occupies 21 ha in Gukeng Township, Yunlin County. There is a three-story main administration building, a tissue culture room, an agricultural machine house, 10 precision greenhouses, and 5 quarantine net houses in this branch.

    The Flower Experimental Branch organization consists of 1 branch director, 3 department heads, 16 researchers, 5 administrative staff and 6 technicians. There are three research units: the Department of Genetics and Breeding, the Department of Production Process Development, and the Department of Industry Application.

    The Department of Genetics and Breeding focuses to strengthen the collection of core species, the development of preservation technology and the utilization of diversity, genetic analysis, and variety improvement, and cooperate with trend analysis to strengthen the foundation of product strength. The Department of Production Process Development focuses to strengthen environmental resistance cultivation, facility automation, energy-saving cultivation, quality standards and health management, and cooperate with the technology verification platform to help the industry improve productivity. The Department of Industrial Application focuses to strengthen information collection and analysis, research on industrial models, establish standard systems, cooperate in education, promotion, knowledge, and cultural dissemination, and deepen the spirit of life and horticulture.

Prospect

    In the future, the branch will with meet the needs of the development of the flower industry and the trend of energy saving and carbon reduction to carry out development, research, and promotion. In addition to strengthening the development of new flower varieties and new cultivation techniques, it will also provide necessary technical assistance and industrial consulting services for flower farmers and industry.