Articles
Long-term storage of cut flowers
Article number
1435_25
Pages
187 – 194
Language
English
Abstract
Cut flower producers often need to cold store cut flowers to build up inventory for events, markets and holidays or to hold excess inventory.
Cut flower species are grouped into three categories based on chilling sensitivity: tropicals (12-16°C), sub-tropicals (2-8°C) and chilling tolerant species (0-2°C). Successful long-term storage of cut flowers requires that the stems be high quality, disease free, properly treated prior to storage, properly packaged, and held at the coldest temperature possible for each species.
For chilling-tolerant species, subzero storage shows promise for increasing the storage duration while maintaining quality.
Cut Paeonia flowers stored for 16 weeks at -0.6°C showed no freezing injury and were higher quality (reduced percentage of flowers that failed to open and fewer deformed flowers) than those stored at 0.6°C. Pre-storage pulses using a commercial hydration solution (Chrysal Professional #1) at 2 mL L‑1 or a 200 g L‑1 sucrose solution for 2 h at 4°C had no effect. Tulipa stems could be stored for up to 6 weeks with no reduction in vase life if held at -0.6°C with the bulb attached and then treated with a bulb-specific floral solution (Bulb 100 or BVB) at 2 mL L‑1 after storage. Iris × hollandica stems lasted longer and more fully opened when pre-pulsed with a bulb-specific floral solution (Bulb 100 or BVB) at 2 mL L‑1 prior to 6 weeks of storage at -0.6°C. Subzero storage may also be effective for long-term storage of other perennial and bulbous cut flowers including Alstroemeria hybrids, Anemone coronaria, Campanula medium, Chrysanthemum hybrids, Delphinium elatum, Dianthus caryophyllus, Eustoma grandiflorum, Freesia hybrids, Gerbera jamesonii, Gypsophila paniculata, Lilium hybrids, Ranunculus hybrids, and Rosa hybrids.
Cut flower species are grouped into three categories based on chilling sensitivity: tropicals (12-16°C), sub-tropicals (2-8°C) and chilling tolerant species (0-2°C). Successful long-term storage of cut flowers requires that the stems be high quality, disease free, properly treated prior to storage, properly packaged, and held at the coldest temperature possible for each species.
For chilling-tolerant species, subzero storage shows promise for increasing the storage duration while maintaining quality.
Cut Paeonia flowers stored for 16 weeks at -0.6°C showed no freezing injury and were higher quality (reduced percentage of flowers that failed to open and fewer deformed flowers) than those stored at 0.6°C. Pre-storage pulses using a commercial hydration solution (Chrysal Professional #1) at 2 mL L‑1 or a 200 g L‑1 sucrose solution for 2 h at 4°C had no effect. Tulipa stems could be stored for up to 6 weeks with no reduction in vase life if held at -0.6°C with the bulb attached and then treated with a bulb-specific floral solution (Bulb 100 or BVB) at 2 mL L‑1 after storage. Iris × hollandica stems lasted longer and more fully opened when pre-pulsed with a bulb-specific floral solution (Bulb 100 or BVB) at 2 mL L‑1 prior to 6 weeks of storage at -0.6°C. Subzero storage may also be effective for long-term storage of other perennial and bulbous cut flowers including Alstroemeria hybrids, Anemone coronaria, Campanula medium, Chrysanthemum hybrids, Delphinium elatum, Dianthus caryophyllus, Eustoma grandiflorum, Freesia hybrids, Gerbera jamesonii, Gypsophila paniculata, Lilium hybrids, Ranunculus hybrids, and Rosa hybrids.
Authors
J.M. Dole, N.J. Jahnke, J. Kalinowski
Keywords
pretreatment, cold storage, acclimation
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