SCREENING VASE LIFE HETEROGENEITY OF CUT ROSES

During a 10-year period of extensive trials, the flower longevity of about 50 market relevant cut rose (Rosa hybrid) cultivars of European origin and various market channels have been tested at different seasons, and with different postharvest treatments (optimal and numerous sub-optimal conditions). Our investigations have shown that variation within cultivars is often higher than variation among cultivars.
The range of heterogeneity seems to be cultivar-dependent.
The longevity of some cultivars varied from 4 to 33 days (sensitive cultivars), whereas with other cultivars it was less variable, ranging usually between 7 to 20 days.
These cultivars have shown both a quite low variability between different seasons and sources (usually 50%). Furthermore, the vase life of such cultivars was often reduced by high occurrence of bent neck, especially after water stress or when no floral preservatives had been applied.
Based on these observations, it is proposed to classify cut roses not only according to their vase life potential, but also according to their sensitivity or insensitivity to different production and handling practices.

International Conference on Quality Management in Supply Chains of Ornamentals QMSCO2012

S. Spinarova, L. Hendriks

cut rose quality, water stress, pre- and postharvest practices, rose longevity, sensitive and robust cultivars, single stem variability

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2013.970.26