ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF THE INTRODUCTION OF RESISTENT CUCUMBER VARIETIES (CUCUMIS SATIVUS SP.) TO WESTERN FLOWER THRIPS (FRANKLINIELLA OCCIDENTALIS)

Since 1983, cucumber cultivation in the Netherlands is confronted with yield reduction by Western Flower Thrips (WFT). A way to prevent damage and decreasing yield is breeding resistent varieties.
Since breeding programs involve a long time period and high investments, an ex-ante evaluation of benefits and costs is useful.

WFT is controlled with pesticides and biological methods.
Another possibility to control WFT may be the use of (partial) resistent varieties.
Breeding companies would like to know the benefits, costs and risks that are involved the inclusion of trips in their breeding program.

The growing surface of cucumber in the Netherlands is about 800 ha.
Data from Dutch cucumber growers showed that costs of WFT in cucumber cultivation equal 0.42 NLG/m²/year.
Therefore, costs of WFT in cucumber cultivation in the Netherlands equal 3.36 million NLG/year.

When using (partial) WFT-resistent varieties, the net cash value of a breeding program was estimated to be 3.1 million NLG negative.
In this analysis all costs were accounted to the Netherlands.
If costs and benefits can be attributed to all European growers, the yearly benefits will be higher and the net value becomes 29.9 million NLG.

Assumptions on development time, costs and introduction have important impact on the net value.
To individual companies the benefits depend on the market share and seed price.
Nevertheless it seems justified to conclude the WFT-resistant cucumber varieties have good economic possibilities in the future.

XXV International Horticultural Congress, Part 14: Horticultural Economics at Micro and Macro Level, International Trade and Marketing, International Cooperative Programs, Relations between Research, Development, Extension and Education

L.G.J. van Horen

breeding, cost-benefit analysis, cucumber, thrips

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2000.524.6