Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 12.1
Requirements for successful introduction of high productivity new crops. (Source: K.
Seaton unpublished)
Development area
Requirements and considerations
Marketability
Offering new and exciting plant characteristics
Filling a unique niche
Promoting special features of new plants
Maintaining sales and plant introduction schemes
Customer requirements
Need for novelty
Continuity of supply
Consistent performance
Production requirements
Ability to flower profusely if a flowering plant and the envi-
ronmental conditions, and possible chemical treatments, are
required to ensure they flower
Suitability of form or is there a need to manipulate this by prun-
ing or chemical manipulation to produce a suitable form
Special water and nutritional requirements and agronomic
intolerances
Ease of propagation or are special techniques needed
Resistance to pest and disease in the new environment
Ability to withstand extremes of temperatures and weather
when plants grown outdoors or indoors
Restrained by short production time, especially if grown in
heated greenhouses
Type of specialisation—is the nursery specialised on the com-
plete production of a few plants or specialised in certain steps
of the propagation.(e.g. does a plant fit within a production
program of the supplier
Meeting environmental constraints to production in terms of
poor soil texture, high nutrient loads and adverse pH, as
well as temperature and water extremes. Especially in urban
environments with associated pollution
Plant introduction schemes
Develop schemes to successfully introduce plants
Evaluate the effectiveness of the introduction
Possibilities of automated production (e.g. plant climbers need
a lot of manual work, automated spacing difficult, uniform
plant production necessary, low genetic variability)
Royalties and the ability to protect the breeder of new plants,
collection of royalties (this provides the supplier with an
advantage that make the plant commercially viable to provide
an advantage compared with competitors)
Trade requirements
Ensuring that during export cut flowers or pot plants maintain
vase life and that dormant plants are primed to be flower
evenly on arrival at their destination
Ensuring plants are easily transported and maintain their quality
on arrival at their destination through packaging and environ-
mental conditions in containers
Selecting plant shape to minimise freight costs and met the need
for minimum dense packaging as required in Europe and Asia
