Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation

|| Home || Search || Contact || Publications Eshop || Privacy Statement ||

Executive Summary
This aim of this project was to evaluate the commercial potential of a range of north Queensland cut flower and foliages for the export market. To do this, early market feedback was used to make an initial selection of twenty-two species from twenty-eight species.  Vase life experiments investigating basic vase life and the effect of dry storage and storage temperature on vase life, field trials to ascertain production characteristics, and further market assessments during the project were used to select species for further development and commercialisation.

Vase life experiments showed that nearly all species evaluated had a vase life of over two weeks. Many had a vase life of longer than three weeks and the vase life of a few was longer than four weeks. All mature Proteaceae foliage specimens had a vase life of over three weeks.  Dry storage experiments indicated that 10ºC is the most appropriate temperature for dry storage, although storage at any temperature did not affect the post-storage vase life of Stenocarpus sp. Tully River (Forest Gem), a species with particular market potential. Vase life was recorded as the number of days from harvest until a visible change in the appearance of the specimen occurred. As this was the first time many of these species had been evaluated, the pattern of specimen death was previously unknown. This change was usually wilting, leaf abscission or a change in pigment colour of the foliage.

Field trials were conducted in three climatic areas of the Atherton Tablelands. They showed that climatic and soil considerations will need to be taken into account, should growers from other regions adopt any of these species. Irrespective of market potential, some species (e.g. Leptospermum wooroonooran and Callitris macleayana) will be unsuitable for most regions due to their requirement for high elevation. Other species, such as Eucalyptus phoenicea and Xanthostemon youngii, would also be unsuitable in many areas because they require a sandy soil and warm climate.  Field trials also indicated that the species evaluated tend to form a good branching structure as the basis of later secondary growth, and produce lateral growth and stem production quite readily in response to pruning.  Apical dominance is still evident in some of the species, and pruning techniques or shoot selection may be required to enhance stem production.

Insect damage will potentially be of greater concern than disease for foliage production from the selected species, although relatively few insect problems were noted. Disease incidence was limited to a number of fungal infections of pruning wound sites that led to dieback and death of the infected plants.

While field trials showed that the species were generally quite vigorous and responded well to pruning for stem production, detailed information regarding yields, time of pruning, species specific pruning, fertilisation and irrigation requirements needs to be produced.  Market feedback on foliage harvested from the field trials indicated that a number of species did have potential as new products in the market, and also indicated that the domestic and export markets have different requirements. Feedback varied between agents and between assessors of agent. The range of comments was extremely useful, however, for discerning the potential of the species studied.

Using the feedback from domestic and export agents, field trial and vase life results, ten species were chosen for further development and potential commercialisation.  The species include Athertonia diversifolia, Banksia plagiocarpa, Eucalyptus phoenicea, Evodiella muelleri, Grevillea baileyana, Lomatia fraxinifolia, Neorites kevediana, Sarcotoechia serrata, Stenocarpus sp. Tully River (both varieties - Forest Gem.and .Forest Lace.) and Xanthostemon chrysanthus.  This development will initially be in the north Queensland region, but the species could be adopted in other areas in the future.
 

Site map Contact us Feedback Links Disclaimer Privacy Statement

Last updated: 21 March 2003
Copyright RIRDC
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/NAP/03-036sum.html