Progress report on the grant

Selection and evaluation of eastern Australian Conospermum species as cut flowers

Dr A.T. Slater
Institute for Horticultural Development Knoxfield, Dept. of Agriculture, Victoria

Last flowering season my time was very pressed, but I spent a few days in the Grampians surveying populations and collecting material for market assessment, vase life assessment and where possible propagation. I have also spent time talking with a couple of growers who have C. mitchellii, and the rest of the time was spent on the vase life trials, propagation, and obtaining market response.

*The market assessment was very positive.
*The vase life assessment of C. mitchellii was also very positive while for C. patens not so good.
*The availability of propagation material meant that success was limited, but we have been able to propagate the plants at a later time.
*I have also recently taken the work further by discussing with colleagues in WA the possibility of a future collaborative project which will place these selections and those from WA into commercial production across Australia.

If you need any further info let me know.

I hope to start writing the report for the AFF shortly, is there a format for the report which you could send me?