| Project
Title: |
Developing
Leptospermum
for cut flowers |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
DAV-184A |
| Researcher: |
Anthony
T. Slater, John D. Faragher, Slobodan Vujovic, Fran Richardson, Geoff Kelly,
Peter Franz and MaryAnne Blakemore |
| Organisation: |
Department
of Primary Industries, Victoria |
| Phone: |
03
9210 9222 |
| Fax: |
03
9800 3521 |
| Email: |
Tony.Slater@dpi.vic.gov.au |
| Objectives |
The
objectives were to produce superior Leptospermum hybrids that can
continuously supply cut flowers for the market, through a breeding program
using superior selections and through developments in postharvest techniques
which maximise vase life. |
| Background |
Leptospermum
has been identified as a wildflower cut flower crop that is very popular
in Australia’s export markets, but is undersupplied. Some cultivars of
Leptospermum scoparium have been popular as container plants, but their
use as cut flowers has been limited by their short vase life.
During earlier work, other
species of Leptospermum were assessed for their suitability as cut flowers.
There are a number of species that have an acceptable vase life, and are
suitable for cut flower production. We identified variations within the
species to determine the better cut flower forms of each species. The development
of superior hybrids with good vase life and a range of colours will increase
the market demand for leptospermums. |
| Research |
The
cut flower characteristics of a range of Leptospermum cultivars
were assessed to identify superior forms of Leptospermum for use
as cut flowers.
A breeding program has targeted
the production of superior cut flower forms of Leptospermum, by
using the best available cut flower forms as parents. The breeding program
was extensive with 1443 interspecific and 521 intergeneric pollinations
conducted, and there are now over 2200 hybrids growing at the field site.
The hybrid seedlings were
monitored at the field site over three flowering seasons. Due to a juvenility
period of the seedlings, flowering was delayed. When they flowered the
flowering display and flowers were described, the vase life was monitored
and the postharvest behaviour described.
Several elite selections
and hybrids were examined for their performance during simulated export.
Treatments that might be expected to improve water uptake and delay drying
out and the end of vase life were tested. |
| Outcomes |
From
this work 13 different hybrid styles have been described. These styles
can be easily distinguished on petal colour, size and other floral characters.
A number of cut flower and landscape cultivars should be obtainable from
each of the hybrid styles.
Within these hybrid styles,
some cultivars have a consistently long vase life, greater than 10 days,
and open when picked with only 0-10% of flowers open.
Several hybrids had more
than 7 days vase life after simulated export. If species have a life of
more than 10 days when freshly picked they are likely to have a life of
more than 7 days after export. Treatments with deep water, recutting stems
and one commercial postharvest solution delayed wilting and the end of
vase life. |
| Implications |
A
range of new hybrid cultivars should be released from this work. Whilst
the optimal harvest time for each cultivar can be quite short, a range
of cultivars have been identified that flower between late August and early
January. This should enable growers to market Leptospermum over
an extended season.
All the hybrids that had
an acceptable vase life, exhibited the ability for mature buds to continue
to develop and open after harvest. This will enable these hybrids to be
harvested when they are just starting to flower to maximise vase life. |
| Publications |
Slater,
T., J. Faragher, M-A. Blakemore, S. Vujovic, F. Richardson, 2002, Developing
Leptospermum
as cut flowers, Proc. 6th Aust. Wildflower Conf., Sydney, May
2002. |
| Project
Title: |
Breeding
of eucalypt bud and flower lines |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
UA-52A |
| Researcher: |
Professor
Margaret Sedgley & Dr Kate Delaporte |
| Organisation: |
University
of Adelaide
Discipline of Wine and Horticulture
PMB 1, Glen Osmond, SA 5064. |
| Phone: |
08
8303 7249 or 08 8303 6665 |
| Fax: |
08
8303 7116 |
| Email: |
margaret.sedgley@adelaide.edu.au
kate.delaporte@adelaide.edu.au |
| Objectives |
·1 Hybridisation
of novel eucalypt lines for fresh bud and flower cut stems.
·2 Field trial of
the novel lines to develop training and pruning regimes for optimal production.
·3 Investigation of
clonal propagation of superior lines.
·4 Development of
postharvest treatments to allow transport of quality product to distant
markets.
·5 Investigation of
marketability of lines.
·6 Plant Breeders
Rights registration and commercial release.
|
| Background |
New
eucalypt cultivars for cut stem production are essential for the future
competitiveness of this export industry |
| Research |
Research
addressed the development of interspecific hybrids, evaluation of these
hybrids for superior characteristics, investigation of their postharvest
vase life, investigation of vegetative propagation, and investigation of
pruning treatments. |
| Outcomes |
Twelve
superior selections have been produced for further evaluation. Clean water
is the best postharvest treatment, vegetative propagation is possible via
cuttings, grafting and tissue culture, and pruning back to 1 m is essential
to stimulate required stem length. |
| Implications |
Registration
of these selections for Plant Breeders Rights will furnish the Australian
cut stem industry with a strong competitive advantage. |
| Publications |
Delaporte,
KL & Sedgley, M 2004, ‘Selection and breeding of eucalypts for
Ornamental Horticulture,’ in T Fernandez & C Davidson (eds), Acta Horticulturae,
vol. 630, pp. 77-84.
Sedgley, M. and K.L. Delaporte.
2002. Selection and breeding of Eucalypts for Ornamental Horticulture.
Australian Society for Horticultural Science Conference, Sydney, 30th
September to 2nd October 2002.
K.L. Delaporte. and M. Sedgley.
2002. Gumnuts Galore: the pursuit of the ultimate eucalypt. The 6th
Australian Wildflower Conference, Sydney, 30th May to 1st
June, 2002. |
| Project
Title: |
Improving
profit for the flower grower – A study using benchmarking |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
DAW-102A |
| Researcher: |
Gerry
Parlevliet |
| Organisation: |
Department
of Agriculture
3 Baron Hay Court
South Perth WA 6151 |
| Phone: |
08
9368 3219 |
| Fax: |
08
9367 2625 |
| Email: |
gparlevliet@agric.wa.gov.au |
| Objectives |
To
enable growers of native Australian plants to identify improved practices
and processes both in production and financial management; become more
profitable and at the same time increase exports. Do this through development
of a suitable manual, analysis procedure, pilot studies and communication
program. An important output is development of the process to continue
delivery of this concept after the project ends. |
| Background |
Flowerswest
in WA had identified the need for benchmarking with in the Flower industry.
A joint project proposal between Flowerswest and the department of Agriculture
was funded.
Profitability in the industry
has always been hard to pin down. Growers often comment on poor returns
but no hard information was available.
For the industry to expand |
| Research |
The
project looked at the benchmarking lessons that could be applied to the
flower growing business. Participating growers extracted information from
their records on production, costs, yield, and returns. This was analysed
and used to determine a series of parameters that could be compared with
other growers. |
| Outcomes |
Over
500 growers have attended functions where the techniques and benefits of
benchmarking was discussed. Another 600 regularly received information
the topic.
Labour was identified as
the major cost for all flower growers but there was significant differences
in the level which indicates room for improvement. Yields and returns obtained
by individual growers also varied significantly again suggesting huge scope
for improvement. |
| Implications |
Flower
growers can improve productivity and profitability by adopting better business
practices and conducting good record keeping and analysis of those records. |
| Publications |
Notes
from Waxflower 2004 March 18-19th 2004 (Presented paper). Technology
Park, Bentley, Perth, Western Australia.
Parlevliet, G.J. Improving
Flower Production Profits with Good Records and Performance Analysis. Proceedings
6th International Protea Association. 3rd-7th April
2004 (Presented paper). Grand Hyatt Hotel, Melbourne. |
| Project
Title |
Development
of North Queensland flower and foliage species and industry |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
DAQ-299A |
| Start
Date: |
01-Dec-02 |
| Finish
Date: |
30-Nov-04 |
| Researcher: |
Ms
Joanna Srhoj |
| Organisation: |
Department
of Primary Industries (Qld)
PO Box 1054
MAREEBA QLD 4880 |
| Phone: |
(07)
4048 4651 |
| Fax: |
(07)
4092 3593 |
| Email: |
Joanna.Srhoj@dpi.qld.gov.au |
| Objectives |
· Commercial development
of Stenocarpus sp. Tully River medium and fine forms (Forest Gem and Forest
Lace respectively) and of Lomatia fraxinifolia, Athertonia diversifolia,
Grevillea baileyana (leaf and stem production), Xanthostemon chrysantus,
Sancotoecia serrata, Banksia plagiocarpa, Evodiella muelleri, Eucalyptus
phoenicea and Neorites kevediana.
· Increased industry
size and capability.
· Economic viability
of species evaluated.
|
| Current
Progress |
Monitoring
of two field trials and one demonstration site is ongoing. The two field
trials are located at Southedge research station and Yungaburra on grower’s
property. The demonstration site is at Yuruga Nursery where Lomatia
fraxinifolia and Athertonia diversifolia are being assessed
under shade cloth. Pruning and fertiliser treatments have been applied
at both field trial sites and the impact of these treatments on plant growth
is being recorded for all five species. A number of insect pests have been
identified and control measures are being tested.
A large post harvest trial
was established in October 2003 to test the effects of re-cutting stems,
dry storage and vase solution on the vase life of Athertonia diversifolia.
Another post harvest trial is planned for June 2004.
Two industry workshops have
been held since December 2003 and another two or three will be conducted
before completion of the project in November 2004. Industry plant numbers
are increasing steadily as growers become aware of the opportunity to become
involved in growing the foliages. Market research will be carried out in
the coming months and will include florists in the Cairns region initially.
At this stage, the extent of the market research is limited by the availability
of material. |
| Project
Title |
Grevillea:
Breeding and Development of Focal (Cut) Flowers |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
US-105A |
| Start
Date: |
01-Mar-01 |
| Finish
Date: |
30-Nov-04 |
| Researcher: |
Prof
Peter Martin |
| Organisation: |
The
University of Sydney
Plant Breeding Institute
- Cobbitty
PMB 11
Camden NSW 2570 |
| Phone: |
(02)
9351 8853 |
| Fax: |
(02)
9351 8875 |
| Email: |
pmartin@camden.usyd.edu.au |
| Objectives |
· Improve protocols
for cut flower production of Grevillea varieties.
· Produce advanced
lines incorporating the following traits that will deliver answers to the
deficiencies in the current Grevillea cultivars as used in the cut flower
industry: longer stem length, greater floral production, improved range
of flower colours resistant to perianth drop, improved vase life and resistance
to transport damage.
· Demonstrate the
commercial viability of cut flower Grevilleas.
· Breed (PBR) protectable
cultivars suitable for the cut flower trade.
|
| Current
Progress |
Breeding
has pushed ahead on two fronts: intensive crossing within the Grevillea
banksii complex and wider inter-specific and inter-group crossing particularly
involving some of the long stemmed species from the dry tropics.
In many of the crosses very
few viable seeds are formed and these often display deep dormancy. Tissue
culture techniques have been developed for germinating these seeds and
for carrying out stem micro-propagation from the seedlings produced, thereby
minimising the risk of losing the line in cases in which only one or two
seeds are available. Success has also been achieved with propagation from
cotyledon segments, allowing up to eight plantlets to be grown directly
from a single seed.
Studies have continued on
the factors influencing infloresence size and floret number. Maximum floret
number in the Banksii hybrids is determined by the time the infloresence
primordium is about 4mm long. However, the number of bud initials which
develop to the flowering stage is strongly influenced by environmental
factors, particularly days of extreme vapour pressure deficit in summer
and frosts in winter. Selection criteria in the breeding programme have
now been extended to include screening for tolerance of those factors.
Work has commenced on vase
life in relation to optimum time of picking and on associated physiological
and anatomical factors including xylem vessel number and size. |
| Project
Title |
An
integrated ethylene management system for the waxflowerindustry |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
IHA-1A |
| Start
Date: |
01/01/01 |
| Finish
Date: |
31/03/04 |
| Researcher: |
Mr.
Douglas Hall |
| Organisation: |
Innovating
Horticulture Australia
Principal Consultant
68 Shaftesbury Avenue
BAYSWATER WA 6053 |
| Phone: |
(08)
9272 9281 |
| Email: |
iha@git.com.au |
| Objectives |
This
project will significantly improve the quality, consistency and image of
Waxflower exported from Australia. This will be achieved by establishing
a scientifically based ethylene management system as a standard component
of Waxflower production across the majority of the national industry. The
management system will incorporate both STS- and 1-MCP-based anti-ethylene
treatments and will be compatible with Quality Assurance systems such as
AQAF, ISO9002 and SQF2000. Strong collaborative interactions and training
activities, throughout the project, will deliver important generic outcomes
- changed attitudes to quality management and improved quality practices.
A Manual describing the system and how to use it will be produced. |
| Current
Progress |
The
project consists of three major activities:
·1 establish the
nationwide operation of an integrated management system for monitoring
and improving the effectiveness of anti-ethylene treatments,
·2 improve the effectiveness
of commercial application of STS through improved protocols,
·3 develop a commercially
viable system for applying the gaseous anti-ethylene agent, 1-MCP, to Waxflowers.
A fundamental principal of this
project is the synthesis of research, development, implementation and training
into a holistic approach to the innovation process. This approach continues
to rapidly deliver outcomes to industry with high levels of adoption through
active participation and a sense of ownership by industry.
During the 2002 season, benchmarking
has continued through operation of monitoring systems by major exporters
across Australia. This data, together with other elements of the ethylene
management system, are for the first time providing growers, exporters
and the national industry with a framework for continual performance improvement.
A prototype application system
for 1-MCP was successfully trialed in a commercial environment with 10,000
bunches fully protected against ethylene and exported.
During the 2003 flowering
season, activities will include consolidation of monitoring activities
with exporters, corrective actions with growers, trialing improved STS
protocols and conducting further semi-production trials of MCP. |
| Project
Title |
Development
of synthetic seeds for clonal propagation of Australian plants |
| RIRDC
Project No.: |
KPW-2A |
| Start
Date: |
01-Aug-02 |
| Finish
Date: |
14-Jul-05 |
| Researcher: |
Dr
Kingsley Dixon |
| Organisation: |
Botanic
Gardens and Parks Authority
Fraser Av
WEST PERTH WA 6005 |
| Phone: |
(08)
9480 3637 |
| Fax: |
(08)
9480 3641 |
| Email: |
kdixon@kpbg.wa.gov.au |
| Objectives |
Delivery
of superior and low cost mass propagation method (via synthetic seeds)
for native plant taxa, which cannot be produced efficiently for restoration
and/or horticultural utilisation by conventional propagation methods. |
| Current
Progress |
Optimisation
of germination trials with Macropidia fuliginosa seed has resulted in coleoptiles
for preliminary experiments to stimulate somatic embryogenesis. Somatic
embryos initiated using 1 µM 2,4-D were converted to plantlets (100%
of which transferred successfully to soil). Experiments are continuing
with key clones of Macropidia utilising mature explants (seed is unavailable)
for callus production, however some delays are anticipated in somatic embryogenesis,
as mature tissues are slow to respond compared to juvenile tissues. Exudation
of phenolic compounds from Macropidia has necessitated investigation of
antioxidant compounds to reduce phenolic interference in the somatic embryogenesis
pathway. Callus production has been achieved with a number of clones of
Stirlingia latifolia on medium supplemented with 1 µM 2,4-D, followed
by abundant shoot regeneration after transfer to conversion medium. Globular
structures (most likely somatic embryos) have been produced on S. latifolia
explants and experiments are continuing to verify the bipolar structure
peculiar to somatic embryos. Clonal specificity is apparent with Stirlingia,
therefore further experiments will focus on these responsive clones. A
small number of Stirlingia seed was made available and used to stimulate
somatic embryos from excised embryos, and embryogenic callus has resulted
in successful production of entire plantlets with good shoot and root development. |
