Everyone around the world knows the tender feel and sweet smell that comes when you get in contact with a flower. Maintaining the quality of these gentle plants that bring color to our lives is an important aspect in all in the flower business. Kenya’s Floriculture Industry has currently embraced the importance of post harvest. A shift is noticeable from the perception that quality is only achieved from the field, with the current thinking being the need to maintain the quality even after harvest’ which is helping farmers have a higher bidding price at the market level. Losses at the post-harvest chain are more severe because they represent waste/loss of human effort, farm inputs and all other resources involved during production.
Losses in postharvest range from 5 – 60% with occasionally losses at 100%, for example due to Botrytis Cinerea infection during the rainy season.
There are some 50 species of the fungus Botrytis, however, Botrytis cinerea has the largest host range. Botrytis is often referred to as gray-mold because it produces a crop of gray fuzzy-appearing spores on the surface of infected tissues. Several days of cool, cloudy or rainy weather creates an ideal environment for Botryis infections during production in a full greenhouse or out in the field. However this fungus grows on dead or dying plant tissue anywhere conditions are right; in greenhouses, the field, packing sheds, coolers or during shipping.
Preventive and Curative Measures
Through the dipping solution that has been adapted by many of the flower farms in Kenya, Botrytis cinerea is being controlled using Amiran’s Dipnoy 60-V2
Dipnoy works by forming a barrier between the flower petals and the outside environment thus any spores present cannot penetrate (preventative) and hinders germination of any spores on the petals (curative).
Speaking on the beneficial aspects of the product, Japheth Chelal from Kisima Farm states that, “ Dipnoy has long persistence after use, customers complain on Botrytis has dropped by >95%; the molecule class of Dipnoy is safe- it has no harm, Dipnoy can also work in moist areas; when Dipnoy is used, the flowers can be packed in boxes without completely drying .i.e. Dipnoy dries fast unlike other products. The product has no residue effect on flowers after dipping. Dipnoy is readily compatible with other products e.g. Spinosad (control of thrips)”.
Lilian Ouma, Amiran’s Post Harvest Agronomists advices that for farmers to get the best outcome from the ‘Dipping Solution’, “After harvest, one should place the heads of the flowers into the dipnoy solution (in a rate of 4ml/litre) for 10 seconds. The spores that were present on the flower petals will dry and it will help prevent the germination of new spores” In addition to the dipping solution, growers are advised to carry out their sanitation program into post harvest handling. Clean and sanitize coolers and cool rooms. To prevent Botrytis infections on flowers, foliage and buds during shipping, avoid packing moist flowers and foliage after harvest. To prevent condensation of water droplets on flowers or foliage, avoid moving flowers directly from cool to warm rooms.
Amiran understands that post harvest systems play a critical role in enhancing the competitiveness of cut flowers which by nature are highly perishable. The company’s goal is to help its farmers in delivering the produce to the final consumer as good as when harvested.
