• After harvest care and handling of produce.

• In cut flower, it is to maintain the fresh look of

flowers, after plucking – retailer/end

consumer delivery.

• Cut Flowers

– Very high respiration rates– Rapidly deteriorate– Highly susceptible to damages.

So cut flowers need the utmost care

Factors affecting the quality of fresh cut flowers

• Maturity of flowers

• Food supply

• Temperature

• Water supply

6

• Tri-Miltox Forte (a fungicide containing

copper compounds 21%

and Mancozeb 20% w/w)

• Calcium chloride (CaCl2.2H2O)

• Silver nitrate (AgNO3)

• Ascorbic acid

Treatments & Replications:

Keeping Quality and Vase-life of Tuberose Cut Flowers as affected by various chemicals/preservatives. 1/2Treatments Flowers

Opened (%)Flowers Wilted (%)

Fragrance of the Flowers

Net Water Uptake (ml)

Vase life (days)

T0 14.21 c* 85.59 abc 0.62 bc 25.75 bc 7.12 abc

T1 18.79 bc 86.35 abc 1.75 a 21.50 bc 7.00 abc

T2 23.55 abc 78.18 bcd 1.50 ab 18.75 bc 7.75 ab

T3 18.71 bc 91.84 ab 1.50 ab 19.50 bc 7.25 abc

T4 17.41 bc 73.91 cde 1.50 ab 18.00 bc 7.25 abc

T5 13.84 c 70.76 de 0.50 b 34.00 ab 7.75 ab

T6 14.84 c 61.29 e 0.50 b 31.25 ab 7.75 ab

T7 7.92 c 67.56 de 0.50 b 27.50 bc 7.50 ab

T8 6.08 c 78.37 bcd 0.25 c 22.00 bc 7.50 ab

Keeping Quality and Vase-life of Tuberose Cut Flowers as affected

by various chemicals/preservatives. 2/2

Treatments Flowers Opened (%)

Flowers Wilted (%)

Fragrance of the Flowers

Net Water Uptake (ml)

Vase life (days)

T9 7.49 c 81.49 bc 0.00 c 21.25 bc 8.00 a

T10 10.62 c 92.53 a 0.00 c 19.00 bc 7.00 abc

T11 12.59 c 95.66 a 0.00 c 14.00 c 6.50 bcd

T12 8.72 c 81.58 bc 0.00 c 18.75 bc 8.00 a

T13 39.55 a 90.02 ab 0.25 c 23.25 bc 5.00 e

T14 40.75 a 87.68 abc 0.75 abc 13.75 c 6.00 cde

T15 35.19 ab 89.08 ab 0.25 c 12.50 c 5.50 de

T16 34.89 ab 87.73 abc 0.25 c 17.50 bc 6.50 bcd

T17 40.09 a 87.00 abc 1.00 abc 46.25 a 5.50 de

Conclusion:

• AgNo3, CaCl 2.2H2O and Tri-Miltox Forte treatments delayed flower

opening and also resulted in extended vase-life as compared to other

treatments (ascorbic acid treatments and standard preservative) but

stood at par with control.

• CaCl2.2H2O also proved more effective in delaying petal senescence

and/or flower wilting. However, Tri-Miltox Forte treatments maintained

the fragrance of flowers for a longer period.

• Experiment 1: Stem-end bark removal

• Experiment 2: Stem-end splitting

• Experiment 3: Stem-end crushing

• Experiment 4: Hot water scalding

• Experiment 5: Comparison of stem-end

physical treatments

• Experiment 6: Fresh vs. simulated-

handling

Results:

Materials and Methods:

• salicylic acid 0, 1, 2 and 4 mM

• Glutamine 0, 1.5 and 3 mM

• Control

• Relative Humidity 70%

• Photoperiod 14h (15 μmol m-1 S-1)

Conclusions:

• Salicylic acid and glutamin affects did show significant effect on quality

parameters and rose flower longevity. Salicylic acid and glutamin proved

more effective in delaying petal senescence and/or flower wilting.

However, result showed that Salicylic acid and glutamin treatments

maintained the vase life of flowers for a longer period.