Product: Honey Protea, Repens Botanical name: Protea repens Quality specifications for Australian wildflowers
Product: Honey Protea, Repens Botanical name: Protea repens The opening flower head, with a funnel to V shape, reveals a central mass of soft fluffy florets, initially all joined together, and surrounded by multiple tiers of sticky bracts. The sticky bracts and significant nectar production give this Protea its common name. When fully open, the long threadlike style in each floret separates from the rest, and the flower head displays its delicate brush-like centre. Unfortunately, the symmetry of the centre is quickly lost as the florets age and collapse sideways. The leaves are shiny green, long and narrow. Varieties of P. repens range in colour from greenish white and cream to pink and red. The bracts and the inner florets tend to have the same colour. Clark s Red, a hybrid between P. repens Rubra and P. longiflora developed in NZ, has cherry-red flowers. Some P. repens flower in summer (selections with deep red flower heads), while others flower from late autumn to winter (selections with creamy white, pink and red bracts). Picking at the correct stage is critical for maximum quality and vase life. While most Protea flowers will not open if they are picked too early, Honey Protea flowers are picked earlier than most, ideally while the flower head is a soft swollen cone with the bracts still closed or when the first florets open. Open flowers have a short vase life, because the long styles forming the centre of the bloom collapse and turn brown quickly, making the bloom look untidy. Flowers can progress from just right to too open very quickly. For this reason, they are sold mainly on the domestic market. Open flowers are rich in nectar and attract bees and ants. Owing to the high nectar production, it s a good idea to hold cut stems upright as much as possible. The sticky bracts also mean the packing shed must be very clean, as they readily pick up dirt from the benches, spoiling the appearance. Therefore, you must clean benches thoroughly before processing a new batch. Leaf blackening following harvest can be a major problem. The severity of this disorder varies between cultivars. Blackening can occur within 3 5 days of harvest and greatly reduces the visual appeal and vase life. It occurs more quickly in warmer climates and in flowers stored at warm temperatures and under low light. The exact mechanism of leaf blackening is still not fully understood, but careful postharvest handling will help reduce its severity: pick flowers when the foliage is dry, cool them quickly after harvest and store them at 0 2 C. Providing a glucose pulse after harvest and keeping cut stems in good light may also help. Flowering season: January July. Typical postharvest life: 5 days. Shipping can reduce the vase life, especially if the transport conditions are not cold, the product dries out, or transport takes too long. Other products to which this specification can be generally applied: varieties and selections of P. repens such as Honey Glow and Ruby Blush and hybrids such as Clark s Red. Typical bunches look like this:
Product: Honey Protea STAGES OF OPENING Note: Some leaves have been removed to reveal entire flower head Stage 1 Immature with bracts tightly closed: unacceptable to markets Common defects Stage 2 Slightly immature: preferred by many markets because flowers open quickly Stage 3 Prime stage to market (for domestic markets) Common defects to avoid at smarket entry: n Overmature flowers centres collapse quickly once flower fully opens n Deformed, dull or poorly coloured flower heads n Damaged bracts, e.g. insect chewing n Damaged leaves n Leaf yellowing or spotting n Presence of insects or fungal disease on flowers or leaves n Ugly stubs where large side shoots have been removed below flower n Bent or very thick stems Very thick stems less desirable in the market; the stem on the left is very thick, which makes it more difficult to use Leaf blackening do not market Very thick stem, swollen at base of flower and marred by numerous stubs where bypass shoots have been trimmed too late avoid by trimming shoots when small Overmature bunch do not market
The stages shown apply to the product at market entry. Pay attention to the weather, time of year, and mode and duration of transport, because the flowers will continue to open during transport. You must consult with your target market to ensure that the flowers arrive at the desired stage. Stage 4 Ready to market (latest stage) Stage 5 Mature stage: unaccepted by many markets Stage 6 Overmature (central flower structure losing symmetry): unaccepted by many markets Stem and leaf dieback discard Damaged bracts (black marks) do not market Bent stem discard Stem blemish discard Very overmature flower and leaf blackening; central parts of bloom turning brown do not market Burnt leaf tips discard stem or remove before marketing if damage is minor Yellow foliage discard stems with poor-quality foliage Leaf spots manage leaf diseases before harvest to reduce damage
Product: Honey Protea, Repens FLOWERS Appearance Flower head fully formed and at final size. Bracts opening evenly to reveal the central mass of long delicate styles. Flower size proportional to stem length market smaller heads on shorter stems. Flower head follows in a straight line from the stem (and is not offset from the stem at >15 ). Flower head not hidden by leaves. No side shoots (bypass growth) or secondary blooms these need to be removed early or there will be ugly scars where they have been cut off. Damage STEMS Appearance Minimum evidence of pests, diseases or other blemishes such as mechanical damage. Leaves entire (no insect feeding damage). No scale insects, earwigs or no spiders. No spider webs. Free of visible chemical residues. Rigid and strong enough to support blooms, without being too heavy and bulky (pencil thickness is ideal). Bend <15. Free of disfiguring trim marks or other blemishes. Neatly cut end. When to harvest Damage Contamination Preferably while flower head is still enclosed by the bracts but is fully coloured. Otherwise, top opening up to 2 cm across (the size of a 5-cent piece). Flower mass visible through opening is soft, and all styles are joined as a tight woolly mass. Flower head well coloured and typical for the selection. Avoid harvesting when flowers are wet. No damaged or blackened bracts, or asymmetrical, deformed or damaged blooms. Discard any poor-quality product with insects or fungal infections. Ensure the flowers are free of grit and soil, weeds or weed seeds, and signs of insects or spiders, such as webbing. Length According to market demand, typically as recommended in Grading and bunching below. RECOMMENDED HANDLING AT HARVEST Minimise drying out and exposure to heat pick when it is cool, preferably straight into buckets of clean potable water containing a registered biocide, or a reputable commercial postharvest solution, and hold in the shade. Move cut stems promptly to a cool, shaded packing area. Cool quickly to remove field heat and stop the blooms from continuing to open. Ensure cool room has continuous, uniformly bright light to assist in minimising leaf blackening (fluorescent lights need to be like very bright office lights to be effective). GRADING AND BUNCHING Pests and diseases LEAVES No apparent pest or disease damage. A preharvest spray to chase out insects and spiders may assist. Picking flowers while the bracts are still closed or just opening reduces risk of insects present within the flower head. When flowers are picked more open, insects and birds may have already damaged the symmetry of the delicate central flower mass. Ants are also attracted to the nectar of open flowers (and florists don t like this). Grading Large blooms on stems 60 cm or longer are sold as single stems. Shorter lengths are generally marketed in bunches. Grade quickly to minimise time stems are out of water. Reject any contaminated stems. Sort stems according to flower maturity, length and thickness: flower head proportional to stem length (typically 20% 25% of the total stem length for larger blooms). Market smaller heads on shorter stems. Appearance At harvest Fresh, mid green and shiny, uniform in colour; no mottling. Not dull or wilted. Minimum discoloration (<3% by area and affecting <10% of leaves). No leaf blackening. Do not harvest or store when foliage is wet. Strip leaves from at least the lower 20 cm and up to the lower half of the stem, depending on customer requirements. Excessive foliage can detract from the visual appeal. Be careful not to damage the stem cut with sharp secateurs if necessary. Bunching Stem length Smaller heads are bunched in 5s, depending on customer requirements. Stems within a bunch should be approximately the same diameter, with the ends aligned together. Bunches of P. repens need to be firmly tied near the base and again loosely 2/3 of the way up the bunch. Stem length (cm) for domestic market 70+ 70 60 50 40 (small-headed) Sleeves Sleeves are recommended to protect the flower heads and make product easier to pack.
HOLDING AND STORAGE Cooling Temperature and humidity Pulsing Postharvest solutions Longer-term storage PACKAGING Effective cooling soon after harvest is important to retaining quality and maximising vase life. There are two options: Cool, process, cool for example, remove field heat by cooling flowers immediately on entry into shed to 10 C in buckets of solution, process flowers (bunch, grade), and then cool to 2 4 C by either forced-air cooling (if boxed) or holding overnight in a cool room. Process within 1 hour of cutting, and then cool to 2 4 C by either forced-air cooling for 20 30 minutes (if boxed) or holding overnight in a cool room (if in buckets). Forced-air cooling of packed flowers is ideal for large volumes of product. Hold in a high-humidity cool room (95%) at 2 4 C. Another way of achieving high humidity is to cover the flowers with plastic sheeting, as long as there is no condensation on the leaves, which can lead to blackening. Hold stems in clean potable water containing a registered biocide for at least 4 hours before pulsing. To avoid blackening, don t let the foliage get wet. Glucose pulses markedly reduce leaf blackening of some proteas, including P. repens. Sucrose does not have this effect. Glucose pulses of 3% 5% (30 50 g/l) for 24 hours at 18 C have been effective. Higher concentrations, treatment times or temperatures can cause damage. Check whether glucose reduces leaf blackening of your proteas, and what the optimum dose is, by doing your own trials. It is not known whether glucose increases the rate of flower opening and nectar production. Glucose powder is available from health food shops. Add a biocide and prepare fresh pulsing solution for each batch. Pulse in a cool room if the weather is very hot. Postharvest solution: Hold in clean potable water with an added biocide registered for postharvest use in cut flowers. Holding solution: Same as postharvest solution. Sell quickly. Not recommended. Pack only dry, cold flowers. Stems in each box should be approximately the same diameter and length, and flower head size should be consistent. Pack with flower heads at each end of the box and stems in the middle to avoid damaging blooms. Pack stems firmly in boxes or use export hooks or stem breaks so the product will not move and be damaged. Use shredded paper to protect flower heads. Avoid packing too many stems per box. Use boxes with holes to allow forced-air cooling. Minimise water loss. For long-distance shipping consider lining boxes with a layer of paper. Cool flowers to 2 4 C before transport. LABELLING AND DOCUMENTATION Label boxes and buckets as recommended in Postharvest Manual* or as required by customer. Ensure box contents are exactly the same as specified in the documentation and on the end of the box. TRANSPORT Refrigerated vehicle at 2 4 C for long-distance transport. COMMON POSTHARVEST PROBLEMS Refer to Postharvest Manual* for general advice. Insects Ethylene sensitivity Leaf blackening Effective management of insect pests before harvest is essential use preharvest insecticide sprays to reduce pest population at harvest. Avoid postharvest dips and fumigation. Protea repens is not sensitive to ethylene. Some growers recommend that in hot weather, plants should be watered the night before picking, and that flowers be picked late in the day, after they have had time to accumulate carbohydrates. Careful postharvest handling will help reduce or prevent leaf blackening. Picking flowers when the foliage is dry, cooling them quickly after harvest and storing them at 2 4 C will help. Keeping cut stems under continuous bright light may also help reduce its incidence. Leaf blackening can be reduced by postharvest glucose treatment, but not by sucrose. Follow harvest, holding and storage advice to minimise this problem. Sell flowers quickly. Messages for importers and wholesalers n Recut stems and place into fresh water containing a registered biocide or a reputable commercial postharvest solution (preferably containing glucose as the sugar). n Maintain good hygiene and keep containers clean. Messages for retailers n Recut stems and place into fresh water containing a registered biocide or a reputable commercial postharvest solution (preferably containing glucose as the sugar). n Use clean buckets and containers for displays. n Do not display flowers in areas that are exposed to full sun, draughts, high temperatures or vehicle exhausts, and preferably do not display near fruit and vegetables. Use refrigerated displays if possible. n Tell the customer how to care for the flowers and emphasise the need for fresh clean water and clean vases. Messages for consumers n Keep vase filled with fresh clean water. Check daily, as flowers can use a lot of water. Change the water at least every second day. Always use clean vases and clean water. n Do not display in areas that are exposed to full sun, draughts or high temperatures. Keep as cool as possible without freezing. n Discard other flower types in the same vase when they reach the end of their vase life. JN: 10015 Layout by Wild Poppy Design Edited by Matthew Stevens, ScienceScape Editing, Sydney SUPPORTING INDUSTRY PARTNER: Author: Bettina Gollnow. Photographs: Lowan Turton. This publication is one of a series of Quality Specifications for Australian Wildflowers. ISSN 1440-6845. ISBN 978-1-74254-026-9. RIRDC Publication No. 10/053. www.rirdc.gov.au *The Postharvest Manual is the manual Postharvest Handling of Australian Flowers from Australian Native Plants and Related Species, 2nd edition, 2010. ISBN 978-1-74254-000-9. RIRDC Publication No.10/027. Both publications were developed by RIRDC Project No. PRJ-000331. The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. The Commonwealth of Australia, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the authors or contributors. 2010 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. This publication is copyright. 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