Bananas.org - View Single Post - advice requested from the land of OZ - Bigdog are you there? Cutflower ornamentals.

veliferum2799 · 08-18-2009, 05:53 PM

Hi All,
I live just south of Cairns, in Queensland Australia, and am in the process of setting up a cutflower farm. We principally supply bromeliads and ornamental pineapples to the Sydney and Melbourne cutflower markets, and have recently begun exploring the potential for bananas.

Ornamental bananas are illegal in any commercial banana growing region of Australia (including Queensland), and only the Dept. of Primary Industries and botanic gardens have permits to cultivate them. They are considered "pest species" because they have the potential, through seed dispersal, to become weeds in the rainforest and act as unchecked foci of disease. North Queensland doesn't have Bunchy Top or Race 4 Panama Disease, and Australia doesn't have Black Sigatoka or bacterial wilts. Biosecurity around banana cultivation and transport is very tight here.

Regardless, with the massive potential of Musa velutina, ornata, coccinea and zebrina, I recently put together a detailed application to cultivate them for cutflower purposes. I addressed the disease issues (tissue cultured plants, regular testing etc) and weed potential (bird netting, stage of maturity vs. timing of harvest ). No private individual or business has ever applied for such a licence. I recieved my first rejection yesterday from the DPI.

I'm going to meet with them today, however thought I'd do some more research......Bananas.org galleries.
A number of the images supplied by Bigdog show bananas with much potential - namely Musa's 'Royal Purple', 'African Red', siamensis and laterita. Musa malaccensis and Musa mannii may be O.K.

Are any of these bananas seedless or sterile hybrids etc. Obviously the DPI are concerned about the spread through seed, si if no seed = no problem!

Furthermore, does anyone know of any published literature on the disease susceptibilty (or lack of) of ornamentals, esp. Musa velutina and ornata to bunchy top, panama etc.

My aim is to satisfy the DPI that the cultivated plants could not become weeds, and/or cannot act as a source of disease.

All help is appreciated. I'm a posting newbie, so bear with me.
Thank you,
Adam.

08-18-2009, 05:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
veliferum2799 Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 3 BananaBucks : 2,817 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Said "Welcome to Bananas" 0 Times	advice requested from the land of OZ - Bigdog are you there? Cutflower ornamentals. Hi All, I live just south of Cairns, in Queensland Australia, and am in the process of setting up a cutflower farm. We principally supply bromeliads and ornamental pineapples to the Sydney and Melbourne cutflower markets, and have recently begun exploring the potential for bananas. Ornamental bananas are illegal in any commercial banana growing region of Australia (including Queensland), and only the Dept. of Primary Industries and botanic gardens have permits to cultivate them. They are considered "pest species" because they have the potential, through seed dispersal, to become weeds in the rainforest and act as unchecked foci of disease. North Queensland doesn't have Bunchy Top or Race 4 Panama Disease, and Australia doesn't have Black Sigatoka or bacterial wilts. Biosecurity around banana cultivation and transport is very tight here. Regardless, with the massive potential of Musa velutina, ornata, coccinea and zebrina, I recently put together a detailed application to cultivate them for cutflower purposes. I addressed the disease issues (tissue cultured plants, regular testing etc) and weed potential (bird netting, stage of maturity vs. timing of harvest ). No private individual or business has ever applied for such a licence. I recieved my first rejection yesterday from the DPI. I'm going to meet with them today, however thought I'd do some more research......Bananas.org galleries. A number of the images supplied by Bigdog show bananas with much potential - namely Musa's 'Royal Purple', 'African Red', siamensis and laterita. Musa malaccensis and Musa mannii may be O.K. Are any of these bananas seedless or sterile hybrids etc. Obviously the DPI are concerned about the spread through seed, si if no seed = no problem! Furthermore, does anyone know of any published literature on the disease susceptibilty (or lack of) of ornamentals, esp. Musa velutina and ornata to bunchy top, panama etc. My aim is to satisfy the DPI that the cultivated plants could not become weeds, and/or cannot act as a source of disease. All help is appreciated. I'm a posting newbie, so bear with me. Thank you, Adam.