Flower Export Research Articles

Co-composting to close the cycle of resources during rose cultivation in Kenya: An agronomic and pesticide residue assessment

Recycling green waste through composting is a promising practice for the transition towards a bio-based circular economy in the floricultural sector of Africa, especially for Kenya where cut flower export accounts for nearly 14 % of its total export value in 2017. Rose waste is a large waste stream, but its intrinsic properties make it challenging to recycle. Composting on commercial scale was studied on a rose farm near Lake Naivasha, (Kenya). Three mixtures were examined: (1) rose waste (RW) only, (2) 80 % RW + 20 % tomato waste and (3) 90 % RW + 10 % mature rose compost. Trapezoidal piles of approximately 4000 kg green waste were composted following the turned windrow approach, samples were taken at six occasions. The nine-month composting study, including pesticide fate assessment, showed consistent performance across tested mixtures. All mixtures resulted in mature and stable compost with C/N ratios below 10 and a high fertilizing potential, meeting international sanitation requirements. Final average volume reduction was 82 %, total N values ranged between 8.1 and 8.9 mg g−1 compost and pH values were alkaline (8.0–8.3). Out of the approximately 50 pesticides commonly used in rose cultivation only 8–12 pesticides could be detected in the matured composts with the highest contribution of flubendiamide and fluopyram. Scenario analysis showed the feasibility of closing the resource cycle in the African floricultural sector via continuous crop rotation over eight years with an amendment rate of 11.5 kg per m2. Overall, this study provided straightforward implementable practices for rose waste management, which facilitates the re-use of valuable green waste in Africa and thereby contributes to the transition towards a global circular economy.

Enhancing the competitiveness of Ethiopian cut flower exports using strategic diplomacy

Enhancing the competitiveness of Ethiopian cut flower exports using strategic diplomacy

Aplicação de ácido húmico via solo atenua os impactos adversos da alcalinidade na rosa

Abstract Alkaline stress is a major environmental factor that limits the growth and productivity of rose plants. Humic acid (HA) is a natural substance that has been shown to have various beneficial effects on plant growth and stress tolerance. Roses (Rosa hybrida L.) are among the world's most important and popular cut flowers, dominating the cut flower export market. This study investigated the effects of HA application on the physiological and biochemical properties of rose plants grown under alkaline conditions. A randomized complete design with three replicates was used. Each replicate consisted of two pots containing a single rose plant. Humic acid was applied at 0, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg L-1 through drenching at 15-day intervals for two months. Plants treated with 1,000 mg L-1 HA exhibited significantly higher levels of total protein, proline, catalase activity, guaiacol peroxidase activity, and antioxidant capacity. Control plants (receiving no HA) showed the highest levels of malondialdehyde and electrolyte leakage, indicating greater cellular damage. Plants treated with 500 mg L-1 HA displayed the highest sugar content and ascorbate peroxidase activity. Overall, the results of this study suggest that HA application can be an effective strategy to improve the tolerance of rose plants to alkaline stress and enhance their growth and productivity in alkaline soils.

PROSPECTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE FLOWER MARKET OF UKRAINE BASED ON THE MODERN LOGISTICS APPROACH

production technologies, markets and consumer demands were constantly changing, which forced participants to constantly improve. In global markets, new exporters from developing countries are expanding their market share by displacing existing producers. Competition among industry players contributes to the constant improvement of product quality, the introduction of innovations in production and logistics. Supply chain management, which involves the creation of optimal mechanisms of interaction between enterprises of the flower industry, has a great impact on the development of the flower industry as a whole, but at the moment it is not effective enough. In addition, modern enterprises of the flower business of Ukraine suffered significant material, technical and financial losses in connection with the Russian aggression, which requires them to find ways to optimize logistics activities. The article examines the current state of the flower market and examines the factors affecting the formation of the market in Ukraine, identifies the main trends and prospects for the development of the flower business during the full-scale war. Analytical and statistical methods of data processing were used during the research. An analysis of the state of the market was carried out and the activity of the main producer of flower products in Ukraine was characterized. A study of the conditions of logistical transportation of flower products was carried out, the trend of import and export of flowers in Ukraine was studied. Information about participants in the domestic flower industry is presented and problems related to the development of the Ukrainian flower industry and the sale of finished products are identified. The main negative factors affecting the development of the flower market in Ukraine have been determined. The need to use modern logistics concepts in order to optimize the complex of logistics functions of enterprises in the flower industry is substantiated.

Study on the application of LED lighting in seedling production of some chryanthemum varieties in Hanoi

Chrysanthemum is a high commercial value plant, which is accounted for a large proportion of the total export of cut flowers in Vietnam. Therefore, the demand for seedling plants is very high. As a short-day plant, chrysanthemum requires supplemental lighting during the 2nd propagation stage in the autumn-winter period. This study aimed to evaluate the applicability of energy-saving LED lights to replace traditional lights in the propagation of some chrysanthemum varieties in Hanoi. The results show that the B3R7 660 nm LED (450 nm blue LED and 660 nm red LED combined in the ratio 7:3) was the most suitable for the 2nd propagation process in the greenhouse of 3 varieties (Pha le Chrysanthemum indicumyellow, Kim cuong C. morifolium cv Kim Cuong and Farm C. morifolium Hibiki). Plants grown under this LED light had a higher shoot multiplication efficiency than those under compact lamps (67.91, 18.47, and 26.89% respectively for Pha le, Kim cuong and Farm). Besides, the quality of seedlings is equivalent to chrysanthemums grown under compact lights. The power-saving efficiency when using LED light was approximate lower 55.21% compared to compact lamps.

Truck and Cross-Docking Scheduling in the Flower Export Sector in Colombia

The Colombian flower sector accounts for approximately 4% of the country’s total exports. The logistics of flower exports involve urban or peri-urban internal transport to international airports. Trucks with flowers face major problems related to heavy traffic and long queues at the airport parking areas and unloading docks creating congestion and emissions. We study both a queue management system and a scheduling system for trucks, similar to those used in container terminals, with provisions for road traffic for realistic-sized problems. We used real data from our previous studies and from external sources to test our model. The results are discussed and analyzed, taking into consideration the constraints of the actual airport operations and the flower business. The results show that the current operation of the airport cargo terminal can be significantly improved with both queue management and scheduling systems. We finally discuss the implementation of these two systems.

Improving Access to Export Market for Fresh Vegetables through Reduction of Phytosanitary and Pesticide Residue Constraints

The horticultural sector is a key contributor to Kenya’s gross domestic product through the export of fresh-cut flowers, fruits and vegetables to various niche markets. It employs over 350,000 people, while about six million depend on it. However, the sector is constrained by the strict technical and phytosanitary quality requirements set by the export markets. The phytosanitary concerns include the presence of pests and microbial contaminants, while the presence of chemical residues constitute the major technical challenge. These constraints cause the interception and rejection of produce at the export destinations. The fresh produce should be free of quarantine and regulated non-quarantine pests, pest damage, pesticides above the stipulated maximum residue levels (MRLs) and phytosanitary certification. This review discusses the following four-tiered approach to compliance with phytosanitary and pesticide residue requirements: (i) use of alternative pest management approaches, including biocontrol options, cultural and physical practices; (ii) collaboration among regulatory agencies, institutions, producers and regional countries in the enforcement of standards; (iii) investment in research and the adoption of innovative technologies; (iv) awareness creation and training of actors along the fresh vegetable value chain. It is envisaged that this approach will contribute to sustainable fresh vegetable value chains, leading to improved access to export markets, and increased export volumes and income to smallholder farmers and other actors in the fresh vegetable value chain.

The competitiveness of Ecuador's flower exports with Colombia to the U.S. market

La competitividad es un factor importante ya que esto permite a los países alcanzar mayores ingresos a mercados internacionales. El presente trabajo pretende identificar la competitividad de la actividad florícola ecuatoriano en el mercado estadounidense con relación a la competitividad y exportaciones florícolas colombianas al mismo mercado objetivo en el período de estudio. Para esto se realizó una investigación comparativa de la competitividad del Ecuador con respecto a Colombia, con información obtenida del Banco Central del Ecuador (BCE) y de los reportes de los departamentos de comercio de Estados Unidos y Colombia. Para lo cual, se calculó el Índice de Ventaja Comparativa Revelada (IVCR), cuotas de exportación (cmx), el Índice de comercio intra-productor (BCR) y la aplicación de un modelo de Mínimos Cuadrados Ordinarios (MCO). Este procedimiento permitió determinar que el Ecuador posee una competitividad del 56,93% en el sector florícola respecto a Colombia, lo que permite concluir que se debe mejorar los aspectos de competitividad a nivel de la producción florícola. URL: https://revistas.uta.edu.ec/erevista/index.php/bcoyu/article/view/1672

Challenges and contributions of women workers in the agricultural sector in the Sibaté region

The flower industry appeared forty years ago in fields dedicated to agriculture in the Bogotá savanna such as Madrid, Mosquera and Funza among others, in these forty years of activity in the flower sector it grew and became the fourth industry in the country. In 1995 the export of flowers to foreign countries begins, one of the most relevant factors of floriculture is its human capital, the vast majority of which are women who are hired en masse due to qualities such as delicacy, patience and low salary that they are willing to receive for the tasks they perform.

Daya Saing dan Potensi Ekspor Melati Putih Segar (Jasminum sambaac) Indonesia

The Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture is working to increase exports of Indonesian white jasmine flowers. These efforts will be realized more quickly if the competitiveness and development potential of commodity in various export destination countries are known. Therefore, this study aims to determine the competitiveness and development potential of white jasmine flower exports. The data used is the 2010-2019 time series data sourced from UN-COMTRADE and the trade map. The data were analyzed by using RCA to determine the competitiveness of commodities, followed by EPD to determine the position of the commodity market and the last stage with the X-model analysis to determine the potential for export development. The results show that the competitiveness of Indonesian white jasmine flowers is strong in China, Japan, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore and the United States and that Indonesian white jasmine flowers have potential in the optimistic category in Australia, Vietnam and Singapore and potential in China, Japan, Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States. This optimistic and potential market potential can be seized by Indonesia by striving for the quality of white jasmine flowers in accordance with the demands of export destination countries.

Local perceptions of ecosystem services and human-induced degradation of lake Ziway in the Rift Valley region of Ethiopia

Ecosystems supply beneficial contributions to people’s quality of life and well-being. Freshwater lakes provide diverse consumptive and non-consumptive ecosystem services (ESs) to people. This study examined ecosystem goods and services that Lake Ziway in the Rift valley region of Ethiopia supply and identified the anthropogenic pressures that impact the lake and its services. The lake currently supports investment projects and livelihoods of the local communities. It contributes to the local and national economy from the export of cut flowers. The biggest commercial floriculture investment in the country is located on the shore of this lake, depending mainly on its water. Assessing the views and knowledge of local communities towards the contributions of ESs to human life, well-being, and livelihoods is important to protect and prolong the long-term benefits of ESs. A total of 41 experts, 137 households, and 20 discussants from two districts were selected for interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). Pearson's Chi-square tests were used to test the association between dependent and independent variables. Multiple regression models were developed to examine the ESs of the lake and human impacts. The result showed that respondents prioritize the ESs of the lake as provisioning > supporting > cultural > regulating services. The Chi-square results revealed a strong association among ESs with respondents’ type and residence locations. The multiple regression results revealed that respondents’ types and residence locations were significant determinants in prioritizing the importance of ESs of Lake Ziway (p < .01). The degradation of Lake Ziway is increasing along with the increasing human population and increasing demands for provisioning services. The major anthropogenic activities are intensive water abstraction, pollution, overharvesting of resources, wetland conversion, and the introduction of invasive species. Such human activities are degrading the capacities of the lake ecosystem and its ecosystem service provisions. Our results indicate that understanding the links between these human pressures on Lake Ziway and its ES provisions is crucial for the sustainable management of the lake. The study could serve as a reference for decision-making for prioritizing the conservation measures needed towards ensuring the sustainable use of the various ecosystem services of the lake. Conservation interventions by involving local communities as major actors are needed to minimize human pressures and ensure the sustainability of the lake and its ESs.

“A Ubiquity Made Visible”: Non-Sovereign Visuality, Plastic Flowers, and Labor in Cold War Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Hong Kong’s plastic flower export starting in the 1950s helped to cement U.S. transpacific supply chains as the city continued to facilitate political economic contact with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) after its founding. For U.S. middle-class households, Hong Kong-made plastic flowers became a visual object that embodied race as a material force, signifying variously a fetishized “barbaric communist labor” and desirable, low-cost foreign labor. This essay examines Hong Kong’s Cold War industrial history alongside Hong Kong American artist Shirley Tse’s Polymathicstyrene. Tse’s plastic sculpture hyper-visualizes labor as such, which may offer pathways for unsettling the state’s political fetishism.

Develop an efficient inoculation technique for Fusarium solani isolate \u201cTJP-2178-10\u201d pathogeny assessment in Phalaenopsis orchids

BackgroundPhalaenopsis is one of the important ornamental plants worldwide. It plays the most significant role in flower exportation in Taiwan. However, the yellow leaf disease caused by Fusarium spp. has reduced the orchid flower yield 10–50 % yearly. Varieties resistant to yellow leaf disease associated with Fusarium is urgently needed for orchid growers and breeders, and is the ultimate solution for the long-term goal. To achieve this, phenotyping is the first step and the most necessary information for further studies, such as resistance gene identification, quantitative trait loci identification, and genome-wide association study.ResultsThe inoculation of Fusarium was performed in either abbreviated stem or detached leaf, and the pros and cons were compared. The former is the general method of phenotyping for estimating the tolerance to yellow leaf disease of Phalaenopsis, but it is time-consuming and spacy, and thus not suitable for the assessment of large numbers of samples. In contrast, the latter not only showed a similar trend of disease severity with time reduced to only one fourth of the former one but also less space needed.ConclusionsThis solution allows a better phenotyping approach for the fast detection of yellow leaf disease associated with Fusarium in a large number of Phalaenopsis samples.

Analysis of Export Competitiveness and Intra Industry Trade of Korean Flower: Focusing on Roses, Chrysanthemums, and Lilies

Korean flowers are one of the main exporting items and have played an important role in expanding exports of Korean agricultural products. However, as the export volume has recently decreased, the need to improve the competitiveness of flower exports is increasing. The purpose of this study is to analyze the trend of export competitiveness of Korean flowers by applying RCA (Revealed Comparison Advantage Index) and CAC (Comparative Advantage by Country) and the trade pattern with Japan with high trade volume by using IIT (Intra-Industry. Trade). As a result of the analyses, the weakened export competitiveness of roses, chrysanthemums, and lilies was verified and the trade conditions have deteriorated as Intra-Industry Trade (IIT) is changing from a Horizontal Intra-Industry Trade (HIIT) to a low-quality Vertical Intra-Industry Trade (LQVIIT). Therefore, it is urgent to improve the export competitiveness of Korean flowers. In order to increase the competitiveness of flowers in Korea, the cost reduction should be focused through the localization of seed or bulb, the reduction of labor costs, and the improvement of logistics. The development of emerging markets, including China and Russia, through market research and the continuous breeding are also important.

Analysis of the flower market of Ukraine

Review of the current state of the market of flower products and factors influencing the formation of the market in Ukraine and study of the main trends and prospects of development. Analytical and statistical methods of data processing were used during the research. In the course of the work the data of the State Statistics Committee, materials of articles and Internet conferences on this research topic were used. It is based on methods of analysis, synthesis and generalization. The state of the market in Ukraine is analyzed and the research of the main producers of flower products is carried out. A study of the conditions and prospects for the development of the flower market. It is established that the market of flower products is currently not fully formed, as evidenced by the constant change in the structure and participants of this market. The indicators of import and export of flowers in Ukraine and the factors that determine their dynamics are analyzed. The world leaders in the production of flower products in terms of range are described. The information on domestic participants of the flower industry is given and the problems connected with the development of floriculture in Ukraine and the sale of finished products are identified. Ukrainian flower business cannot be considered a new industry for Ukraine. However, it is highly profitable and has a steady upward trend. Recently, there has been a noticeable tendency to increase both the number of private entrepreneurs and large international companies that produce high quality products. Analysis of trends in the market of flower products in Ukraine makes it possible to use them in further research.

Determinants of Ethiopian Flower Export Performance: The Case of Gravity Model Application

In contemporary economic activities, international trade is evolved from perfect protection to perfect free global trade among countries to bring balanced. International trade in general and export in particular is the most important economic activities to secure economic growth and development. However, sub-Saharan African countries including Ethiopia exports agricultural products balky in volume low in value leads to low performance and also low in diversity. To improve Ethiopian export performance, the government has been taking different policy options among them is export diversification. Flower commodity export is one of the diversification policy options. Each commodity export has its own constraints and opportunities affecting its export performance. The objective of this paper was to identify factors affecting flower export performance in the Ethiopian economy using five years balanced panel data ranging between 2010 and 2014 to Ethiopian flower importing countries. The result of the statistical analysis indicated that even though there is variation among years, the average five years export performance was about $ 4.79 million from exporting about 96.48 tons of flowers. The result of the gravity model econometric regression results revealed that domestic gross product (GDP) and the domestic population growth had positive effects while the exchange rate had a negative effect on the Ethiopian export performance dynamics. The result, it is suggests that all the factors affecting Ethiopian flower export performance are domestic factors or supply side factors. Therefore, the export economic policy should focus on boosting the GDP, efficient and effectiveness of human power through education and training, and stabilizing the exchange rate to enhance the Ethiopian flower export performance in particular and national export performance in general.

Yellow Spray Rose Cultivar ‘Egg Tart’ with High Productivity and Suitable for Export

The yellow spray rose cultivar ‘Egg Tart’ was bred by crossing the pink spray rose cultivar ‘Pink Sensation’ and the yellow spray rose cultivar ‘Orange Jam’ in 2012 at the Flower Research Institute of Gyeongnam Agricultural Research and Extension Services for cut flower exports. ‘Egg Tart’ has a weak sensibility for Botrytis cinerea, good transportability and good productivity (registration number: 7791). The flower shape of ‘Egg Tart’ was irregular. The leaf was thick with a strong gloss. There were 15 leaves per stem, and the leaf length was 12.3 cm, which was smaller than the control variety, ‘Yellow Tea’. Morphologically, ‘Egg Tart’ leaves were not as large in the wave shape of the edge of the leaf, and there was a small oval in the front end of the leaf that was narrow, as compared to the control cultivar. The cut flower yield of ‘Egg Tart’ was 152 stems (m2/year). The cut flower length was 78 cm, with a petal number of 78.8, and a vase life of 14.4 days, which was superior to the control variety. In order to confirm the possibility of ‘Egg Tart’ as an export variety, field demonstration tests have been conducted with the same yellow variety ‘Yellow Babe’ in the rose exporter’s greenhouse for three years starting in 2017, and the cut f lowers produced were shipped to the domestic and Japanese market. The results of the test showed that cut flower yields and flower numbers per stem were not different between the two varieties, but cut flower length, flower diameter and market price of ‘Egg Tart’ were higher than ‘Yellow Babe’. The domestic and Japanese market price were 845 won and 758 won per stem, respectively. In order to confirm the sensitivity of ‘Egg Tart’ against gray mold, artificially inoculated Botrytis cinerea were examined to investigate the incidence and spread of the disease. As a result, ‘Yellow Babe’, a control variety, was confirmed to be infected from the first day after inoculation with the pathogens, but ‘Egg Tart’ was infected from the second day. On the fourth day after inoculation, ‘Yellow Babe’ was 100% infected, but ‘Egg Tart’ was only 38.9% infected. In conclusion, the yellow spray rose ‘Egg Tart’ could be used as a substitute for the existing export variety ‘Yellow Babe’.

Dose Effect of Phytosanitary Irradiation on the Postharvest Quality of Cut Flowers

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of electron beam irradiation on the postharvest quality of cut flowers. Cut flowers were irradiated with electron beam at 100, 200, 400, 600, 800, 1,000, and 2,000 Gy with a 10 MeV linear electron beam accelerator to evaluate their irradiation tolerance. Postharvest quality was determined by monitoring fresh weight loss, flower longevity, flower diameter, flowering rate, visual quality of flowers and leaves, and chlorophyll content. Cut flowers showed a radiation-induced damage with increasing the irradiation dose. Flower longevity and fresh weight of cut flowers decreased when the irradiation dose was increased. Flower bud opening was also inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. The effective irradiation doses for 10% reduction of postharvest quality (ED10) values were 144.4, 451.6, and 841.2 Gy in the ‘Medusa’ lily, ‘Montezuma’ carnation, and ‘Rosina White’ eustoma, respectively. Although tolerance of cut flowers to electron beam irradiation vary according to species, cultivars, or maturity stage conditions, it is conceivable that ‘Montezuma’ carnation and ‘Rosina White’ eustoma could be tolerated and maintained overall postharvest quality up to 400 Gy, the generic irradiation dose approved by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) for postharvest phytosanitary treatments. Key words: electron beam irradiation, flower export, irradiation tolerance, quality evaluation, quarantine

Study on the vase life of Chyrsanthemum indicum cultivar Sakura cutting flower

Chrysanthemum indicum cultivar Sakura is one of the daisy cultivars. It is beautiful, but the vase life of cutting flowers is very short. The decrease in flower quality during storage and transportation is a big problem in the flower export. In this study, the morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes during the vase life of cutting flowers were analyzed. The effects of plant growth regulators and sucrose at different concentrations on the vase life of cut flowers were investigated. The vase life of Sakura cutting flowers includes two stages: (1) the growing and blooming of flower, (2) senescence of cutting flowers. During the growing and blooming, the color of disk flowers changed from green to yellow, and the ray flowers continued to expand the dimension leading to an increase in the diameter of the head flower. The senescence of cutting flowers was initiated by the reduction of chlorophyll content in the leaf, which was located at the base. Then, the ray flowers were discolored. In the senescence stage, the respiration rate and the content of the abscisic acid of head flower increased continuously. In contrast, the water absorption, the content of starch, total sugar, salicylic acid, auxin, cytokinin, and gibberellin decreased strongly. The treatment of 10 g/L sucrose, 2 mg/L NAA, 5 mg/L BA, and 20 mg/L salicylic acid in 24 hours extended the vase life of Sakura cutting flowers and the diameter of the head flower.&#x0D;

EVOLUTION OF COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES IN FLOWER EXPORT: A comparison between the states of Ceará and São Paulo (1997-2014)

EVOLUTION OF COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGES IN FLOWER EXPORT: A comparison between the states of Ceará and São Paulo (1997-2014)