Coordinated Production and Marketing System for Flowering Orchid Plants

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Potted orchids have a wholesale value of $100 million and are the second-ranked flowering-plant in the U.S. The major problem for Hawaii producers is distance from market and high air transportation costs of tall plants. This proposal seeks to address this problem through an innovative coordinated production and marketing system. By developing new technology to control orchid plant height, coordinated with adding value through new plant forms and packaging that addresses transportation costs and needs of buyers, this innovative system directly addresses the problem of distance to market. Achieving plant height suppression of oncidinae orchids in a grower setting, and documenting market acceptability of the new plant forms will mark feasibility of the proposed innovative coordinated production and marketing system for flowering orchid plants. Technologically controlled forms of orchid plants will result in lower shipping costs and innovative plant products, which, combined with branding, value-added packaging and participation by orchid growers will result in long-term competitiveness of Hawaii growers in overseas markets, and sustain one of Hawaii's most promising specialty crop industries.