Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 19.2
Storage Conditions for Selected Cut Flowers.
Short-term storage
temperature (°C)
Cut flower type
Temperature (°C)
r.h. (%)
Storage life (days)
alstroemeria
0-4
90-95
6-10
1
anthurium
12-16
90-95
3-10
15
bird-of-paradise
7-10
85-95
3-28
7.5
carnation
0-7
90-95
3-42
1
chrysanthemum
0-8
90-98
7-42
1
delphinium
0-5
90-95
1-2
—
freesia
0-4
90-95
1-14
1
ginger
7-10
90-95
5
—
gypsophila
0-5
98
1-21
1
iris
0-4
90-95
4-28
1
liatris
0-5
90-95
3-14
—
lily
0-5
90-95
4-28
1
lisianthus
1
90-95
7
1
narcissus
0-2
90-95
7-21
1
orchid
0-15
90-95
7-28
—
protea
2-4
—
7-21
2
rose
0-4
90-98
4-14
1
snapdragon
0-5
—
3-28
1
statice
2-4
90-95
14-42
2
tulip
0-2
85-95
3-42
1
Source: Adapted from Wills
et al
. (1998).
Table 19.3
Vase Life of Cut Rose cv. Sonia.
Treatment
concentrations of 1-MCP protected grevillea for two days;
Macnish
et al
. 2000).
Vase life (days)
(i) 48 h in water
12.1
Other pre-treatments
Some cut flowers benefit from pulsing with exogenous
carbohydrate compounds, such as sucrose, to supplement
endogenous levels (Halevy & Mayak 1981; van Doorn
1997; Wills
et al
. 1998; Reid 2002, 2004; see Table 19.7).
This pre-treatment is particularly useful for cut flowers
harvested at the bud stage, such as lilies and gladioli.
A typical bud opening solution treatment is composed of a
high concentration (e.g. 2 to 20%+ [v/v]) pulse for a short
(e.g. 0.5 h at room temperature) to a relatively long (e.g.
16 h or overnight at room or cold room temperatures)
period of time. Pulsing at a moderate VPD, not at high
humidity, can enhance uptake by maintaining transpira-
tional demand. Pulsing some proteas with glucose, but not
sucrose, inhibited leaf blackening (Stephens
et al
. 2001).
Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are applied to help
maintain the post-harvest longevity of certain cut flowers.
Auxins have been used to reduce flower abscission from
Geraldton waxflower and other flowers, but they are not
(ii) 24 h in aqueous solution
and then 24 h dry storage
no surfactant
4.3
Tween 20 (0.1 g/l)
5.4
Tween 80 (0.1 g/l)
9.1
Triton X-100 (0.1 g/l)
15.3
Non-oxynol-8.5 (0.5 g/l)
15.8
Note: Sonia blooms kept (i) in water for 48 h prior to
assessment of longevity or (ii) in water or various
surfactant solutions for 24 h and then dry-stored for
24 h at 20°C and 60% RH before return to water.
Source: Compiled from van Doorn
et al
. (1993).
for a relatively long time (e.g. 12 to 15 days in carnations;
Sisler & Serek 1997). In other flowers, protection is
conferred for four to seven days (Nell & Reid 2000). In yet
other flowers, protection is short-lived (e.g. low
