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Summary of full report
Nutrient Management of
Waxflower for Quality
and Yield Under Adequate Irrigation Levels
by Dr Kevin Seaton
February 2008
RIRDC Publication No 08/016 RIRDC Project No DAW – 107A
Who is the reports target
audience
The project has beneficial
value to growers of waxflower. It provides them with fertiliser and irrigation
systems suitable for maximised yield. Some of the results from this project
have benefits to other wildflower crops being grown on waxflower farms.
Background
Waxflower is a major export
cut flower of the Australian cut flower industry. Maximising yield is critical
for economic returns to the industry. Recently, many new varieties of waxflower
have come into production including the Pearl flowers. However the nutrition
and irrigation requirements of these varieties is poorly understood, and
may be quite different from the older varieties.
Aim/Objectives
To develop a strategy to
enable wax growers to manage nutrient and irrigation, especially for new
waxflower hybrids, for maximising stem production and flower quality. This
includes providing fertiliser programs, diagnostic charts for nutrient
deficiencies, critical tissue level for macro and micro nutrients and effects
of salinity on waxflower production.
Methods used
Observation plots were established
on farms, which provided a focus for growers in the surrounding district.
Workshops and lectures were held regularly during the project to ensure
growers were aware of finding of the project and that these results were
applied in the field. The project has approached the problem form a number
of angles. These include information gathering on fertiliser programs being
used across Australia. Detailed glasshouse trials to determine the importance
of 12 nutrients, optimum levels and visual recognition of N, P, K, Ca,
Mg, Fe Mn, Cu, Zn, B, Co, and Mo).
Results key findings
The project has determined
fertiliser recommendations, especially for hybrid varieties. These results
have been verified in field trials. Fertiliser programs were found necessary
to be varied according to phenological crop development, to optimise yield
and flower quality. It was also found that water use was strongly linked
to fertiliser response. The project also determined how to deliver nutrients
effectively in the field.
The project key findings are:
Implications for relative
stakeholders (waxflower industry)
It is critical that industry
changes its fertiliser practices. The industry needs to implement systems
that apply nutrients more evenly spread over times and avoid giving plants
large doses infrequently.
Waxflower is a low input
user of fertiliser and can tremendously benefit in terms of high yield
from sound fertiliser and irrigation practice. This research emphasises
the benefit of wildflowers in general as a sustainable horticultural commodity
in the Australian environment.
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