ISHS Acta Horticulturae 543: VII International Symposium on Postharvest Physiology of Ornamental Plants
PULSING WITH SUCROSE AND SILVER THIOSULFATE EXTENDED THE VASE LIFE OF CONSOLIDA AJACIS |
| Author: | F.L. Finger |
| Keywords: | cut flower, postharvest handling, flower preservatives, ethylene, longevity |
| Abstract:
Consolida ajacis are important ornamental flowers used mainly in landscape plantings. However, once harvested, an intense browning and flower abscission take place in a few hours, making impossible to use it as cut flower. The objectives of this study were to investigate the influence of pulsing solutions containing sucrose and/or silver thiosulfate (STS) on longevity of Consolida ajacis. The flowers were harvested and the stems recut to 30 cm, and immediately pulsed with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% sucrose for 6 hours or for 30 minutes in 1mM STS, followed by 6 hours in 5%, 10%, 15% or 20% sucrose. Thereafter, all treatments were transferred to vase containing water until at least 50% of flowers were wilted or abscised. Pulsing with 10% sucrose improved significantly the flower longevity from a quarter of day to 1.75 days. Flower stems preconditioned with 1mM STS, associated or not with 5% sucrose, had the longevity extended up to 9.2 days compared to untreated flowers. | |
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