Articles
The effect of postharvest treatments with commercial preservatives on keeping qualities of cut peony flowers
Article number
1435_31
Pages
235 – 242
Language
English
Abstract
Special treatments and various preparations are used during all phases of the market chain to sustain life of cut flowers and to maintain their good quality.
Recently, cut peonies have gained worldwide popularity so the development of appropriate postharvest treatments is in order.
In this experiment two types of flower preservatives produced by Chrysal International and Floralife were tested on several peony cultivars: the so called trade preparations used to sustain flower life during the turnover (Chrysal Professional 2, Floralife 200) and the so called flower food preparations used to prolong the flower vase life (Chrysal Clear, Floralife 300). The first were applied for 72 h after harvest, i.e., the period simulating the turnover phase; after that flower food preparations were used.
The treatment effects were compared with those of the standard preservative composed of 2% sucrose plus 200 mg L‑1 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQC), and distilled water was used as the control.
The cultivars tested were: Charles Binder, Gayborder June, Jamachina, Laura Dessert, Marguerite Gaudichau, Othello and Vogue, all of which responded poorly to the treatments and in all cases responses were cultivar-specific.
The vase life was prolonged in only 9 out of 49 treatments, with Charles Binder and Jamachina showing no positive reaction to any of the holding solutions while 4 out of 7 treatments increased the vase life of Gayborder June. The rate of bud opening was different among cultivars and flower diameters increased in ca. 50% of cases in 24 out of 49 treatments.
As the responses to treatments were so cultivar-specific, any recommendations for specific preparations must be preceded by tests with individual cultivars.
Recently, cut peonies have gained worldwide popularity so the development of appropriate postharvest treatments is in order.
In this experiment two types of flower preservatives produced by Chrysal International and Floralife were tested on several peony cultivars: the so called trade preparations used to sustain flower life during the turnover (Chrysal Professional 2, Floralife 200) and the so called flower food preparations used to prolong the flower vase life (Chrysal Clear, Floralife 300). The first were applied for 72 h after harvest, i.e., the period simulating the turnover phase; after that flower food preparations were used.
The treatment effects were compared with those of the standard preservative composed of 2% sucrose plus 200 mg L‑1 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQC), and distilled water was used as the control.
The cultivars tested were: Charles Binder, Gayborder June, Jamachina, Laura Dessert, Marguerite Gaudichau, Othello and Vogue, all of which responded poorly to the treatments and in all cases responses were cultivar-specific.
The vase life was prolonged in only 9 out of 49 treatments, with Charles Binder and Jamachina showing no positive reaction to any of the holding solutions while 4 out of 7 treatments increased the vase life of Gayborder June. The rate of bud opening was different among cultivars and flower diameters increased in ca. 50% of cases in 24 out of 49 treatments.
As the responses to treatments were so cultivar-specific, any recommendations for specific preparations must be preceded by tests with individual cultivars.
Authors
E. Skutnik, J. Rabiza-Świder, Sutrisno
Keywords
flower diameter, flower food, re-hydrating, vase life
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