Evaluación del cultivo de seis variedades de Lilium en San Carlos de Bariloche

Abstract

Floriculture is the horticultural discipline that refers to the systematic cultivation of flowers and ornamental plants. Specifically, foliage and cut flowers, garden seedlings, foliage plants and potted flowers, bulbs, and seeds. As a commercial activity, it began to gain importance in the mid-20th century, and its high profitability has led many countries to invest in its production. It is a competitive and sustainable activity, and Argentina has great potential given its agroclimatic, geographical, and technological advantages. However, growth in the domestic market is slow, and its presence in the export market is scarce. Flower consumption has an aesthetic and emotional motivation because it benefits our lives by providing beauty and well-being (Morisigue et al., 2012). In Argentina, bulb production was almost nonexistent until 2001 due to the convenience of importing from Holland, as was the trade in cut flowers of this species. In 2002, bulb imports fell sharply due to the unfavorable exchange rate, which significantly increased flower cultivation costs. Considering the varied requirements of the different hybrids and the plasticity of the Lilium, its production is possible under different conditions. At this point, it is worth highlighting the advantages that Argentina has with a wide variety of environments and soil and climate conditions, which, together with the existing infrastructure, would facilitate the commercial production of Lilium bulbs (Facchinetti and Marinangeli, 2008). Lilium is positioned as the main cut flower from bulbs and the fourth most popular after chrysanthemums, carnations, and roses. Its flowers are widely accepted by consumers and highly valued in the market. According to Scoponi (2014), economic research indicates that the cost of bulbs imported from the Netherlands represents between 75% and 80% of direct production costs. Considering the nonexistent production in Argentina and the availability of compatible soil and climate zones, it could be argued that Lilium bulb production represents a business opportunity for the sector. Along with the production of cut foliage and tropical flowers, it represents a possibility for diversification that would improve the local market, leading to medium-term export projects. In Chubut and Río Negro, there are artisanal bulb producers who have demonstrated suitability for fattening. However, these bulbs are not produced on a large scale in Argentina due to commercial, technological, health, and legal limitations. Bulb production requires paying breeders' fees and the use of specific inputs not approved in Argentina, such as herbicides. Furthermore, harvesters, planters, and post-harvest machinery (washers, sorters, and packers) are not manufactured in the country, so their importation entails a high initial investment. (Scoponi and Marinangeli, 2014)