Native plant propagated at UQ Gatton College wins international prize

A native plant propagated at the University of Queensland's Gatton College has won "Best New Plant" at the prestigious Floralies Internationale de Nantes exhibition in France.

For the past decade, Caustis (Koala Fern) has been developed for the lucrative native plant export market by a joint Gatton College-Birkdale Nursery research team headed by School of Land and Food senior lecturer Dr Margaret Johnston. The project received Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) funding between 1993 and 1997.

Native to sandy areas between Maryborough and Kempsey, the plant won the gold medal in its category at the exhibition held every five years and this year attended by representatives from many countries.

"It was gratifying that an Australian plant which has taken six years to develop was recognised for its attractiveness and future potential by an international, horticultural jury," one of Birkdale Nursery's owners, Mr James McGeoch, said.

Dr Johnston said the plant was in demand as cut foliage and in pots because of its glossy, "fluffy" bright green foliage and bamboo-like stems.

"Our research in collaboration with Birkdale Nursery staff has resulted in a propagation system for Caustis and a number of forms for different uses," Dr Johnston said.

The University, through its technology commercialisation company UniQuest Pty Limited, was currently applying for plant breeders' rights or "plant patents" for these forms, she said.

The collaboration with Birkdale Nursery recently culminated in a $1.9 million grant from the company and the Federal Department of Industry Science and Technology's R & D START grant initiative to develop Caustis and four other species for the market.

Native cut flowers alone were worth $34 million in exports in 1998. However, only a limited number of species including Geraldton Wax, Kangaroo Paw and Rice Flower can be exported because of difficulties in propagating most other native species for commercial purposes.

Established more than 40 years ago, Birkdale Nursery was purchased by James and Barbara McGeoch in 1982. Over the past nine years, it has developed substantial export markets for ornamental horticultural products in North Asia, South-East Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Pacific Islands.

For more information, contact Dr Margaret Johnston (telephone 07 5460 1240 or mobile 0412 338 546) or James McGeoch (telephone 07 3207 2533).