ISHS Acta Horticulturae 792: V International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops
DOES IRRIGATION REGIME AFFECT THE POST HARVEST QUALITY AND VASE LIFE OF CUT FLOWER CARNATIONS (CV. SANTORINI)? |
| Authors: | R.D. Taylor, J. Hill, B.W.W. Grout |
| Keywords: | Dianthus caryophyllus, soil water, post harvest quality, vase life longevity |
| Abstract:
Consumers of cut flowers demand high quality flowers at the point of purchase, and a guaranteed time that the aesthetic value of the flower will last. Product quality and potential vase life is thought to be determined by the environmental conditions under which the flower was produced, and with a shift in major production areas to countries with high incident solar radiation and warm temperatures, the application and management of irrigation is increasingly important. A tensiometer-based irrigation system was developed that monitored soil water potential to control the rate and timing of irrigation. This system was used to investigate the effect of irrigation regime on cut flower carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus ‘Santorini’) production with a special focus on vase life attributes. Five treatments (soil water potentials -15 kPa to -75 kPa) were applied and vase life of first class flowers (EC Regulation 316/68) harvested from each treatment were measured under standard conditions (19°C (±1°C), cool white light with a maximum light intensity of 1000 lux and a 12 h photoperiod). Flowers grown under the driest(-75 kPa soil water potential) treatment regime had a significantly shorter vase life compared to other treatments. Furthermore, deterioration in vase life quality was quicker in the -75 kPa treatment compared to other treatments. These data demonstrate that irrigation practice can have a substantial effect on the longevity of cut flower carnations during vase life. | |
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