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Less loss of quality during transport of roses from Kenya
Roses grown in Kenya travel to the Netherlands, among other places, by plane. Transport by sea is more sustainable and cheaper, and is progressing very slowly. The longer duration of the transport by sea does not always benefit the quality of the flowers.
An exploratory study by the Business Units Wageningen Food & Biobased Research and Greenhouse Horticulture of Wageningen University & Research shows that even when the same post-harvest treatment protocol is applied and the transport conditions are the same, there are still differences in how the flowers perform at their final destination. These differences are caused by both genetic factors and growing conditions.
The research was conducted in the context of a Seed Money Project of the Topsector Horticulture & Propagation Materials; involving various partners from the industry and with the support of the Agricultural counsellor in Kenya.
Loss of quality sea transport
The roses are expected to have a shelf life of at least seven days at the consumer after transport. This is usually not a problem with air transport, but because sea transport takes a long time, there can be loss of quality, such as flower discolouration, damage, failure to open, leaf dehydration (“crispy leaves”) and fungal infections.
Seven cultivars from four growers
The Greenhouse Horticulture Business Unit of Wageningen University & Research and Wageningen Food & Biobased Research investigated the reasons for these differences in quality. For this, seven cultivars from four growers were transported by sea container.
The post harvest treatment was kept the same for all the flowers in the study. The transport conditions were also the same and were monitored with sensors.
After arrival in the Netherlands, the vase life was examined. Almost all flowers met the requirement of at least seven days of vase life. Some cultivars were found to score better on leaf quality and flower bud opening than others, regardless of the grower. And the flowers from some growers performed better regardless of the cultivar.
Follow-up study
The question is which genetic factors or cultivation conditions determine the end result and how can it be ensured that the quality of roses transported by sea is just as reliable or better than by air.
This is the subject of a follow-up study, which will start in 2022 as a public-private partnership with several partners from the roses supply chain. The ultimate goal is to develop and demonstrate improved protocols, decision support models and recommendations for successful sea transport of flowers from Kenya.