Product: riceflower, sago bush, wild rice, riceflower mountain daisy, tick bush :  diosmifolius (formerly diosmifolium)

Quality specifications for Australian wildflowers . Stem borer insects can also be a be also can insects borer Stem . Pink forms of riceflower are also grown also are riceflower of forms Pink

pressure (which ruptures the oil glands in the the in glands oil the ruptures (which pressure squeezing include may This leaves). and stems forcing or them tying when tightly too bunches Fine-leaved bucket. a into stems many too blackening. to susceptible less be to tend forms grow- or grow-past from suffer may Riceflower tip stem the at shoots the where through, inferior Some head. flower the through grow that capitula immature by spoilt are selections flower main the of edges the around develop head. the reducing high, very be can losses less. or years 3 to crop the of life economic knot root congestion, root to due be may This as such diseases, root various or nematode Phytophthora and brittle are stems woody The problem. major splitting. to prone riceflower of foliage and stems the in oils The some in allergies respiratory and skin cause exposure from likely more are Allergies people. forms. broad-leafed to Other productsthis which to specification can be generally applied: preserveddried, riceflower or dyed products; Cassinia. For a simple wilt test, take a sprig of riceflower riceflower of sprig a take test, wilt simple a For hours. 2 for water of out shade the in it hold and pick. to ready yet not is product the wilts, it If season: Flowering mid December mid July to Typical vase life: life: vase Typical 7–14 days especially if Export vase life, can reduce the transport the not cold, conditions are product dries out, or transport takes too long. Incorrectly harvested riceflower can can riceflower harvested Incorrectly At interest. market destroy completely full at be must capitula the of 50% least the and early Too closed. still but size can head the and late too wilt; can stems ‘window’ harvest The apart. fall or shatter, up be can but days 5–7 only for last may variety the on depending weeks, 3–4 to flower rice Overmature location. and marketed. be never should The common name is derived from the shape of of shape the from derived is name common The capitula. called heads, flower individual small the grain a like looks capitulum each stage, bud At papery the from comes colour flower The rice. of white from ranges and capitulum the of bracts clusters in arranged are capitula The pink. dark to corymbs of number a and corymbs, called harvested the on head flower the up make flower the of complexity the of Because stem. to here used are terms botanical these structure, part correct the to made is reference that ensure head. flower the of of Leaves variable. are colour and form Leaf and broad, to fine from range varieties different of performance The green. greyish to bright from specific. site often is varieties individual production and varieties new of introduction The to season production the extended has sites have selection and Breeding months. 6 almost including problems, early the of many reduced grow-past. and blackening leaf to susceptibility cleaner heads, flower larger have cultivars New season. harvest longer a and colours before days few a irrigation dry, are If freshness. postharvest improve may harvesting product the if result can blackening Leaf low very or °C) (>25 high to exposed is known) not temperature (exact temperatures during develops mostly and harvest, after can tightly too flower rice Packing transport. blackening leaf to leading overheating, cause can Blackening shipment. unmarketable an and physical or handling rough by caused be also Rice flower is used as a filler in mixed mixed in filler a as used is flower Rice is and arrangements dried and bunches export and domestic the both on popular perennial, spring-flowering, a is It markets. been has which shrub native Australian 1980s. the since plantations in grown

Product: riceflower, sago bush, wild rice, mountain daisy, tick bush Botanical name: Ozothamnus diosmifolius (formerly Helichrysum diosmifolium) Product: riceflower STGSF A E O OPENING

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 1 Very immature: Stage 2 Immature: unacceptable to markets (immature no bract separation or floret extension product is prone to wilting)

Common defects

Common defects to avoid at market entry: n W ilting due to early harvest n F lower shatter due to late harvest n L eaf drop n C rooked stems n L eaf blackening (bruising) Overmature – do not market Wilting product (immature) Underdeveloped buds spoil the n P oor leaf colour – do not market flower head – discard (yellowish) or dried- out leaves n G row-through (shoots growing past the flower head) n W ilting shoots below the flower head n D isease, insects or insect damage n B ud defects due to poor or uneven development n F rost damage

Aphids and sooty mould – manage Gall wasp – manage insect pests Rust – discard; manage with preharvest insect pests before harvest before harvest fungicide applications Product: riceflower

Stage 4 Ready to market: the most advanced corymb on the stem has fully expanded, and 50% of the small buds (capitula) at its centre have reached Stage 3 Slightly immature full size and are plump (tulip stage; each Stage 5 Overmature: bud is about the size of a match head); >10% of buds (capitula) at the cen- <5% of buds (capitula) in the centre of tre of the most advanced corymb on the most advanced corymb show bract the stem show bract separation and separation and floret extension florets emerging (‘cracking’)

Flower parts missing owing to frost damage – discard Typical bunches look like this (with and without sleeve to show bunch structure)

Yellow leaves – discard stems with Insect damage (black pedicels) Poor-quality stem and foliage – discard Stem splits due to hail damage – discard poor-quality foliage – manage insect pests before harvest stems with poor-quality foliage if damage is severe Product: riceflower

FLOWERS GRADING AND BUNCHING

Appearance Clear distinct white or non-fading pink. Processing Reject any contaminated stems. The full size reached by each capitulum (the small Sort stems according to maturity, length and thickness. rice-grain-like flower head) and the number of corymbs Handle gently. making up the flower head vary with selection or cultivar. Prepare bunches to buyer requirements. The number of capitula in the flower head can range from 100 to 700. Recut stems. Tie bunches loosely. When to When the most advanced corymb on the flower head has Carry out postharvest disinfestation (dipping or fully expanded and 50% of the capitula at its centre have fumigation) if required. harvest reached full size (each capitulum is about the size of a match head) and are plump (also called ‘tulip’ stage). Add sleeves if they are required. When the flower head has reached maximum size Pack into cartons or hold in buckets of postharvest (typically 5–10 cm in diameter). solution and return to cool room. Corymbs large and full of buds (avoid stems with sparse According to market demand. capitula, poor distribution of capitula or few corymbs). Stem length Do not pick after 5% of the capitula have cracked at the Bunching The number of stems per bunch varies, and is determined top (individual florets emerging from parted bracts). by their size, stem diameter, and market and buyer Harvesting before this stage may result in stems wilting requirements. (this varies with variety and seasonal temperature). There is no prescribed stem diameter in relation to the Overmature capitula will shatter, or fall apart. length of the stem. However, presentation is important, so for example if 5 stems make a thin-looking bunch, then Damage No grow-past of vegetative shoots. increase bunch size in lots of 5: go to 10 or even 15 stems No collapse of pedicels (the thin stems below capitula and per bunch. Stay consistent for the grade and make all corymbs). bunches the same. No wilting. For the domestic market, aim for consistent bunches No damaged or broken flowers. weighing 400–450 g for 70 cm stems (this means stem numbers can vary between bunches). Avoid selections where the inside of the capitulum is a muddy brown (which becomes visible after it cracks). For Japan, price and stem length are directly proportional. The market prefers long stems, at least 60 cm. Contamination Product free of grit and soil, weeds or weed seeds, living For US market, 50–60 cm, or as customer requests. or dead insects, and signs of live insects or spiders, such as Place one tie at the base of short stems. webbing. If possible, line up the flower heads so they are even Pests and Discard any poor-quality product with insects or fungal across the top of the bunch (this depends on variety, as infections. Check individual stems for insects, because the arrangement of the clusters of flower heads differs diseases once riceflower is bunched, they are very difficult to find. between varieties). Stems should be approximately the same diameter within LEAVES a bunch, with the cut ends aligned.

Appearance Clean, fresh green; high-density foliage; no leaf blackening. Stems per Stem Av. no. of stems per Av. no. of stems length export bunch per domestic bunch (cm) (300–450 g bunch (400–450 g depending on buyer depending on buyer Minimum evidence of pests, disease or other blemish. Damage requirements) requirements) No visible chemical residue. 100+ 5 5 STEMS 90 5 5 80 5 5 Appearance Rigid and strong enough to support blooms. Bend <15°. 70 5 5 Derived from current season’s growth. 60 10 10 Neatly cut straight across. <60 cm 10 10 Harvest Remove leaves and side branches from the lower 10–15 cm or 1/3 of the stem. Sleeves Advice on whether or not to sleeve is variable, because some people believe sleeves may result in product RECOMMENDED HANDLING AT HARVEST overheating and cause leaf blackening, especially on the export market. Handle with care and ‘loosely’ to avoid bruising, which can lead to blackening. During harvest, minimise drying out and exposure to heat, which can cause leaf blackening – pick when it is cool. Move cut stems promptly to a cool, shaded packing area and make sure the product does not wilt. Cool as quickly as possible to remove field heat – store at 2–4 °C within 2 hours of harvest; forced-air cooling is highly recommended within 2–4 hours of harvest. HOLDING AND STORAGE COMMON POSTHARVEST PROBLEMS Refer to Postharvest Manual* for general advice. Cooling Effective cooling soon after harvest is important to retaining quality and maximising vase life. There are two options: Fungal Use preharvest fungicide sprays during wet weather to reduce • Cool, process, cool – for example, remove field heat by decay in the risk of botrytis. It is important to manage botrytis before cooling flowers immediately on entry into shed to 10 °C and after harvest to minimise risk of the whole flower head in buckets of solution, process flowers (bunch, grade), and storage due to botrytis collapsing (botrytis is suspected to cause collapse of the then cool to 2–4 °C by either forced-air cooling (if boxed) or pedicels, which dry out and turn black). holding overnight in a cool room in postharvest solution. (grey Use preharvest insecticide sprays to reduce the pest • Quick processing and then cooling – for example, process mould) within 2–4 hours of cutting, pack, and then cool to 2–4 °C, population at harvest. JN: 9792 • layout by Wild Poppy Design • Edited Stevens, by Editing, Matthew ScienceScape Sydney preferably using forced-air cooling immediately after packing. Insects (for Dip flowers that are to be packaged and held for any Alternatively, hold processed flowers overnight in a cool export) significant length of time (export product) in a registered room in buckets of postharvest solution. fungicide or insecticide solution with added wetting agent for Forced-air cooling of packed flowers is ideal for large volumes not less than 1 minute, then dry naturally for 2 hours to ensure of product. thorough disinfestation. Aim to hold stems in a high-humidity cool room (95%) at Liquid dipping benefits riceflower by rehydrating after Temperature processing. and humidity 2–4 °C, ideally in cartons after forced-air cooling. Alternatively, stems can be held in clean potable water OR containing a registered biocide. Fumigate flowers before dispatch to kill insects. Shake treated Another way of achieving high humidity is to cover the bunches gently before packing to dislodge any dead insects. flowers with plastic sleeves or plastic sheeting. If storing for a longer period, you may need to treat with a fungicide to Leaf Minimise the risk of leaf blackening by handling product protect against botrytis blackening carefully, cooling promptly after harvest and not exposing cut stems to very high temperatures (>25 °C) or very low Postharvest Growers of large-scale and ‘dryland’ crops in inland areas often temperatures. solution do not place cut stems into water after harvest, whereas growers in warmer, humid coastal areas place stems into Check product for leaf blackening before bunching and buckets of hydration solution until they are packed for before sending to market. dispatch. Minimise delays in transport, which allow flowers to heat up. Hydration solution: Hold in clean potable water containing a registered biocide. Ethylene Riceflower is slightly susceptible to ethylene, especially that Postharvest solution: Same as hydration solution. No extra sensitivity produced by the product itself. Ethylene causes leaf blackening treatments are recommended. and anti- and leaf drop in some selections. Experienced growers do not currently use anti-ethylene treatments. Test your varieties to If necessary, hold in cool room at 2–4 °C for a maximum of ethylene Longer-term treatment see whether anti-ethylene treatments are effective (for more storage 5 days, ideally in cartons after forced-air cooling, or bunches details, refer to the Postharvest Manual*), and if necessary do can be held in postharvest solution. your own trials to optimise the procedure. For longer storage seek professional advice and test in the market before committing product. Messages for importers and wholesalers PACKAGING n Recut stems and place into fresh water containing a registered biocide. Pack bunches of the same size (stem number, weight and thickness) together. n Cool product before marketing or sending on and keep it cool (2–4 °C). Put bunches of similar length together, and ensure all bunches meet this specification. n Maintain good hygiene and keep containers clean. Pack boxes according to customer requirements. Aim to standardise the number Messages for retailers of stems per box for each stem length shipped. n For export, do not pack mixed varieties in the one box, unless requested. Recut stems and place into fresh water containing cut-flower food or a reputable commercial postharvest solution. Pack bunches firmly but springy in boxes so the product will not move and be damaged. Do not pack too tightly or leaf blackening may result. Pack head to tail, n Use clean buckets and containers for displays. or use export hooks or stem breaks to ensure the tops of the bunches can’t move n in transit, or the flower heads will be damaged or crushed. Do not display flowers in areas that are exposed to full sun, draughts, high Use boxes with holes to allow forced-air cooling, or fumigation if necessary. temperatures or vehicle exhausts, and preferably do not display near fruit Avoid plastic liners, as riceflower is prone to overheating in transit. and vegetables. Use refrigerated displays if possible. Cool flowers to 2–4° C before transport. n Tell the customer how to care for the flowers and emphasise the need for cut-flower food in solutions. Give the customer a sachet of cut-flower food to LABELLING AND DOCUMENTATION take home. Label boxes and buckets as recommended in Postharvest Manual* or as Messages for consumers required by customer. n Ensure box contents are exactly the same as specified in the documentation Keep vase filled with the correct solution of cut-flower food. Check daily, and on the end of the box. as flowers can use a lot of water. If cut-flower food is not used, change the water at least every second day. Always use clean vases and clean water. TRANSPORT n Do not display in areas that are exposed to full sun, draughts or high Refrigerated vehicle at 2–4° C. temperatures. Keep as cool as possible without freezing.

The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion SUPPORTING INDUSTRY PARTNER: 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, Authors: Bettina Gollnow and Dr Ross Worrall. Photographs by: Dr Ross Worrall and Lowan Turton. to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly This publication is one of a series of Quality Specifications for Australian Wildflowers. ISSN 1440-6845. 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 ISBN 978-1-74254-022-1. RIRDC Publication No. 10/049. www.rirdc.gov.au authors or contributors. *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. © 2010 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. This publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. Requests concerning reproduction and rights Both publications were developed by RIRDC Project No. PRJ-000331. should be addressed to the RIRDC Publications Manager on phone 02 6271 4165.