The
              Report

No. 110: Blue Smokebush may corner niche wildflower market in Japan


The full report
This Short Report is a summary of a full report Cutflower Production of Blue Smokebush, RIRDC Publication Number 01/158, DAW-89A, by Dr Kevin Seaton, Agriculture Western Australia, Phone: 08 9368 3244, Fax: 08 9367 2625.  The full report is available in hardcopy for $10 from RIRDC (ph: 02 6272 4819 or from our eshop) or can be downloaded for free from RIRDC’s website: www.rirdc.gov.au/fullreports/wnp.html

Successful propagation of the wildflower blue smokebush has opened up an export marketing window for Australia’s cutflower industry, particularly for the Japanese wedding bouquet and ikebana trade.

A report on research funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) says the work followed up earlier studies that identified smokebush as having excellent cut flower potential.

Test marketing showed demand for blue smokebush was strong with good prices and that it offers a unique Australian native wildflower alternative to the widely used gypsophila.

The challenge of the research, undertaken by Agiculture Western Australia’s Dr Kevin Seaton, was to find the right varieties and to establish reliable methods of propagating and cultivating the wildflower.

Three species of smokebush, all blue varieties, were eventually selected.

These were Conospermum eatoniae, Conospermum caeruleum and Conospermum amoenum.

The work opens the way for a specialist nursery with the capability to develop the necessary infrastructure and implement difficult propagation systems to commercialise production of blue smokebush.

The Study

The aim of the project was to provide the wildflower industry with new opportunities to capture a share of highly profitable cutflower markets, previously reserved for exotic flowers, by developing blue smokebush to be sold as a feature filler over an extended season.

The three species of blue smokebush selected flower over an extended season from July to October. They have different form and colour with the blue/dark blue early season C. eatoniae (flowering early July-mid September), the dark blue mid-season C. caeruleum (mid July–mid September) and the light blue/blue late season C. amoenum (late July -early October).

But each has different propagation requirements that the work sought to identify.

The research also aimed to determine the conditions necessary to maximise shoot and root production in blue smokebush species.

The methodology involved defining natural populations of the three varieties and selecting suitable mother plants in terms of colour, ease of propagation, vigour, stem length, display and flowering time.

The next stage involved developing reliable means of commercially propagating the blue smokebush varieties selected. Field plantings of each selection were undertaken to determine response in terms of production, stem length and flowering.

Postharvest vase life handling characteristics of the selections also had to be assessed along with establishing protocols for maximising production in a commercial situation.

This involved determining methods of establishment, optimum densities, and water and nutrient management to maximise stem length and quality. The research also had to find suitable pruning methods and correct handling procedures for both fresh and dried product.

The next step involved conducting test shipment trials through exporters to determine the performance of blue smokebush on export markets, providing grower groups with details on production and holding demonstrations and field days.

The Results

Smokebush plants were surveyed fortnightly during the flowering season to select appropriate species before undertaking propagation experiments. Germination of mature seed in seed raising mixes proved unreliable with just a one per cent success rate.

But tissue culture tests gave better results. C. eatoniae and C. caeruleum were successfully cloned in tissue culture using newly elongated vegetative shoots which developed after flowering.

C. amoenum proved more difficult but eventually two of 13 lines of the species tested were successfully initiated into culture. By adding a technique of embryo rescue, plants were developed. But they were not clonal, or in other words, not identical to the original plants.

The illustration below shows the survival and multiplication of C. amoenum cuttings following initiation into in vitro culture for selection 200 of a dark blue selection, pink selection and a juvenile plant.

There also was further research to determine methods of ensuring root initiation and survival.

The next stage of the work involved field evaluation at Western Australia’s Medina Research Station. Selections were tested for flowering time, form, production and postharvest handling methods with results showing several selections of blue smokebush had potential to be marketed as cut flowers.

There also was work on pest and disease control with results showing that both C. eatoniae and C. caeruleum were susceptible to infection by Phytophthora cinnamoni and to dieback indicating the need to ensure strict quarantine cleaning treatments.

Cut floower characteristics of smokebush species - Blue Flowered

Postharvest research showed vase life varied from 9-14 days for the different selections. Suitable packaging methods also were investigated and a production protocol developed.

Summary

Several selections of blue smokebush have been identified which may be developed commercially in the future. These have different forms and a spread of flowering times. Growing some would help to open up the marketing window of blue smokebush, and overcome the problems of being restricted to one or two varieties as at present.

This project has shown that at an experimental level it is possible to propagate blue smokebush providing that certain protocols are followed.

It is now up to the cutflower industry to successfully achieve this at a commercial level. A specialist nursery needs to be established with the capability to develop the infrastructure and know how to implement propagation systems suitable for the various species of blue smokebush.

The chance of success will increase by using the high strike rate selections of blue smokebush identified in the project.

Field management protocols have been established. They are available as a farmnote.

It covers aspects of site preparation, plant establishment and irrigation methods. Growers need to use this information along with a fertiliser program, plant trellising, pruning strategies and suitable postharvest handling practices, adapting the methodology to suit their own farm situation.

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