PRESERVATIVE SOLUTIONS DELAY DETERIORATION OF INFLORESCENCES OF DENDROBIUM SONIA ‘BOM 17’ FOLLOWING GAMMA IRRADIATION

Effectiveness of preservative solutions for delaying deterioration of Dendrobium Sonia ‘Bom 17’ inflorescences following gamma irradiation was investigated under simulated commercial harvesting, packing, treating and shipping conditions.
It was found that untreated flowers (control) had 2 times higher respiration rates and 12.5 times higher rates of ethylene production than irradiated flowers (2kGy) at 20±2°C. Irradiated flowers had lower ethylene production in the presence of preservative Sol 1. The maximum number of opening flowers was 76.3% in untreated flowers held in preservative Sol 3. No flower drop was observed in flowers treated with 1 kGy and held in Sol 1, 2, and 3 or in flowers treated with 2 kGy and held in Sol 1. No flowers opened on inflorescences treated with 2.0 kGy and held in Sol 2 and 3, but flower drop reached a maximum of 32.8 and 44.2%, respectively.
The vase life of untreated flowers was 17 days while the vase life of flowers irradiated with 2 kGy and held in Sol 2 and 3 was 4 days.
Irradiated flowers (2 kGy) held in Sol 1 had a vase life of 6 days.

I International Orchid Symposium

M. Buanong, S. Kanlayanarat

cut flowers, orchids, postharvest, senescence, vase solution

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.878.53