Pyrethrum Seeds for Pyrethroid Production
Answered by: Conrad Richter
Question from: Gary Wand
Posted on: September 03, 2007

I am from Ottawa. I need to order certified pyrethrum seeds. We already talked on the phone a few times. Thank you for the good service. About the seeds, could you please answer me a few more questions?

1. Where is the seeds from? I want to know the original growing conditions.

The seeds we sell are produced in the United States. The original stock for this breeding line came from the major pyrethrum producing countries Kenya, Tanzania, Ecuador and India about 20 years ago. This line is currently used for pyrethrins production.

2. What’s the flower yield?

The dry flower yield is the most variable trait in pyrethrum. Growing conditions such as climate, soil type, nutrient status of the soil have profound effects on flower yields. Typical yields for this line range from about 400 to 800 kg/ha. Much higher flower yields -- up to about 2000 kg/ha -- are possible from improved cultivars; however such cultivars are not readily available to commercial growers. If you are interested in pursuing a project to grow elite cultivars please contact Richters commercial department. We cannot promise that we can get elite cultivars because of breeder imposed controls, but we are pleased to inquire on behalf of any customer of Richters who is serious about commercial pyrethrum production.

3. What’s the content of the pesticide pyrethrin in the flowers?

The typical pyrethrins content in the dry flowers for this line ranges from about 1.4 to 1.8 per cent. But this line has shown some useful variability -- with some individual plants exceeding 2.0 percent -- so this line can easily be used as a basis for a breeding program to push the pyrethrin content higher. The elite varieties get up to 3.5 percent and beyond.

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