Tehran – Researchers at Iran's Forests and Rangelands Research Institute have identified 40 genotypes of damask rose across the country, which now await official registration.

 

Mohammad Hossein Lebaschi, a faculty member at the institute, said the genotypes were collected from various provinces and studied in specialized gardens.

 

“The research has determined which genotypes perform best in terms of quality and quantity across some 14 provinces.”

 

He noted that damask roses require only about one-third the water of wheat and barley - roughly 2,000 to 2,500 cubic meters per hectare - making them economically viable in water-scarce conditions.

 

However, Lebaschi stressed that profitability depends on processing. From three tons of flowers, one kilogram of essential oil - valued at €10,000 - is extracted, along with one liter of rosewater per kilogram of flowers, worth 200,000 tomans per liter.