Responses of cut Cattleya orchid ‘Lc. Spring Clima × Christina’ flowers to high carbon dioxide as related to controlled atmosphere

A substantial portion of commercially produced Cattleya is sold as cut flowers that often require shipment to distant markets.
Cut flowers of Cattleya are sensitive to ethylene, and exposure to ethylene is known to accelerate flower senescence.
The negative effects of ethylene can be significantly reduced by treatments with inhibitors of ethylene perception and/or ethylene production.
In this study, the effect of high carbon dioxide (CO₂) (50%), pre-cooling temperature (5°C) and ethylene (0.2 ppm) on longevity of Cattleya ‘Lc.
Spring Clima × Christina’ were investigated.
The flowers treated with ethylene increased ethylene production to 4.72 nL g^-1 h^-1, 2 day after harvest (DAH), while low levels of ethylene productions were detected in other treatments throughout the experimental period.
High CO₂ with and without pre-cooling treatments increased the respiration of flowers 2 DAH. Flowers treated with high CO₂ in combination with pre-cooling showed the lowest respiration rate 4 DAH. The vase life was increased by high CO₂ in combination with pre-cooling from 10 days to 14 days.
These results suggest that high CO₂ and combination with pre-cooling has commercial potential in enhancing the vase life of cut Cattleya orchid.

I International Symposium on Tropical and Subtropical Ornamentals

C. Burana, K. Yamane

Cattleya, CO₂, controlled atmosphere, ethylene, orchid, postharvest, vase life

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2017.1167.59