Hilda K. MiranyiMsc. Horticulture

SupervisorsDr. Margaret J. Hutchinson

Dept of Plant Science and Crop Protection, UON.

Dr. Cecilia M. Onyango

Dept of Plant Science and Crop Protection, UON.

Dr. Esther Kimani

Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS)

Horticulture is among the leading foreign exchange earner at about ksh. 91.2 billion with floriculture contributing ksh.44.5 billion (HCDA,2011).

The value of horticultural production stands at Ksh. 205 billion and offers employment directly or indirectly to over 6 million Kenyans.

The EU is the major market for Kenyan cut flowers.Others are, Russia, U.S.A, Japan, South Africa, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

The expansion of trade has brought about the threat of introduction and spread of quarantine pests.

Thus guidelines and agreements have been set by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the World Trade Organizations on the application of SPS Measures.

National Plant protection Organizations (NPPOs) have the right to regulate imports to achieve an appropriate level of protection e.g. AQIS import conditions which includes devitalisation treatment.

Devitalisation is the treatment of cut flowers with a systemic herbicide especially glyphosate to render the buds non-viable (cuttings unable to root).

Compliance to the National Plant protection requirements e.g. AQIS & EU Directives is a challenge for many developing countries.

For example out of 224,889 tons of horticultural produce exported 2010/2011, inspectors rejected 129 tons and gave advice/warning for 138 tons,

123 interception notifications were received from the

importing countries due to presence of quarantine pests

Kenya is keen to expand its exports to the Australia market but their stringent quarantine requirements has been an obstacle.

Despite providing the protocol for the treatment, reports of non-compliance still come in from Australia – 5 exporting companies banned from exporting to Australia in last 2 years.

The importance of safeguarding Kenya’s export market cannot be gainsaid.

But with some exporters failing the audit test for the pre-shipment devitalisation treatment, Kenya risks losing this potentially lucrative market and a possible alternative to the traditional EU market.

Out of the 40 accredited devitalisation facilities, 5 have failed the audit tests in the last two years, leading to a ban of their export of cut flowers to Australia - great loss of revenue.

1. To establish the root cause of Kenyan flower exports frequent failure to meet AQIS Requirement.

2. To establish the level of implementation of the AQIS devitalisation protocol amongst approved firms.

3. To determine the effects of Round up and Glypro formulations of Glyphosate on the longevity of cut flowers (Rosa hybrida and Hypericam spp.)

4. To compare the effectiveness of Round up and Glypro formulations of Glyphosate devitalisation treatment at different dipping depths on rose cut flowers.

Exporters are not fully aware of the AQIS Quarantine requirements.

The AQIS accredited facilities are not implementing the specifications of the AQIS devitalisation protocol with precision.

Devitalisation treatment does not affect the vase life of cut flowers.

Varying formulation of glyphosate at different dipping depths does not affect the devitalisation treatment effect.

1. The survey; A survey will be carried out among the AQIS accredited

companies located in the Rift Valley, Central and the Nairobi Provinces. Out of the 40 accredited exporter companies, 20 will be picked at random as a representative sample for the study.

A questionnaire with both open-ended and closed questions shall be used. The survey will determine the level of implementation of the devitalisation protocol and awareness of the import conditions of the target market.

2. Laboratory experiment to assess vase life after devitalisation treatment;

This will be carried out at the Oserian pack house at Naivasha in the Rift Valley.

fresh cut roses (variety cream prophyta) and Hypericum inodorum Flair variety harvested at mature bud stage will picked at random after preparation for export

120 stems of 60 cm length of each variety will be used. Two glyphosate formulations (RoundupTM (360g

glyphosate /l) and GlyproTM with (480g glyphosate /l)

Preparation of the dipping solution (AQIS T9273 (2011) protocol )

Concentrate calculation will be done by the given formula 5.4 x volume of solution required (ml)/Active ingredient (a.i).

For 20 litres solution of Roundup formulation glyphosate (360g/l), 300ml of Roundup concentrate will be added

For Glypro (480g/l) formulation, 225 ml will be added to form 20 litres solution.

The vase life experiment; Sixty stems of each variety will be dipped to a depth of 55

cm at a room temperature (20 ± 1oC) for 20 minutes in the roundup 360glyphosate/l formulation solution. The same procedure will be followed for Glypro (480g glyphosate/l).

The flowers will then be removed from the solution and allowed to drip off the solution.

Of the treated stems, 20 stems of each variety will then be kept in flower vases with ordinary deionized water at room temperature (20 ± 2oC) and at 60% RH. This will be replicated 3 times with untreated control.

The experiment will be factorial in a CRD design

Data to be collected will be:- discoloration of petals, - no. of stems with bent heads, - no of stems with fallen leaves, - dead stems and petal fall.

The vase life of the inflorescence will be considered terminated when 50% of the open flowers have wilted or exhibited the above signs (Redman et al, 2001).

The propagatability Test This will be carried out at the Oserian flower company farm

on 60 cm rose cut flowers using the two glyphosate formulations at four dipping depths (25, 35, 45 and 55) following the devitalisation protocol and a control

the treated stems will then be cut for propagation test.

Fifteen cuttings with at least three nodes and one leaf from each treatment will be dipped in a rooting hormone (commercial Auxin – Indole -3-Acetic Acid) before being planted in trays of coccus rooting media.

The cuttings will be planted in the media up to a depth of 2-3 cm.

They will be kept in the rooting media for 30 days in the green house at optimal propagation conditions of 25 - 30oC and 100% RH. The treatments will be replicated three times.

The experimental layout will be Factorial in a Complete Randomized Design.

A repeat of the same experiment shall be done.

Data to be collected will be:

The treatment effectiveness will be determined by the cutting’s inability to root.

Data to be collected will be:

- Number of cuttings with roots May opt to use a score 0 (without roots) and 1 (with

roots)

Survey data management and analysis will be done with aid of the SPSS statistical program.

Vase life and Propagatability experiments data will be subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) by Genstat statistical software (Payne, et al., 2006)

EXPECTED OUTPUT:1. Reduced levels of non-compliance since we hope the

results will provide a documented negotiating tool.2. Improved cut flower export to Australia and other equally

stringent markets.3. A n informed industry.

ACTIVITY MONTH OF YR 2012 YEAR 2013

J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J

Literature Review

Proposal writing

Questionair prep. & testing

Survey & data collection

Vase life experiment

Propagatability Experiment

Data analysis

Thesis writing

Submission and Defence

ITEM DESCRIPTION ESTIMATED COST (KSH)

Transport Self and Enumerators 25,000.00

Communication (Air time & Internet) 10,000.00

Enumerators 6 Enumerators for 5 days 30,000.00

Laboratory requirements Formulation purchase, and

other consumables or

equipments

55,000.00

Cut Flowers Roses and Hypericums 20,000.00

Labour Field and technical assistance 20,000.00

Lunches 6 Enumerators and self

For 10 days

17,500.00

Questionnaire preparation Printing and photocopying - 8,000.00

Proposal and Thesis preparation Stationary, printing and

binding

45,000.00

Miscellaneous To cater for unforeseen costs 10,000.00

GRAND TOTAL 240,500.00