Effects of selected post harvest treatments on vase life of cut flower gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus)

Abstract

A postharvest storage study with different treatments was carried out to investigate a procedure in prolonging the vase life of cut-flower gladiolus. Various chemical and non chemical treatments which are locally available were used. In comparison with the control (distilled water), beverages such as 7-UP™ in different concentrations, specific anti-ethylene compounds, silver nitrate and silver thiosulphate (STS), benzyl amino purine (BAP) in different concentrations, hot water treatment to the base ofthe flower stalk as a sterilizing method, maintaining the pH at 3.5 using HCI, eylene oxidization with KMn04 and ethylene absorption with activated charcoal were tested The longest vase-life and the best visual quality were achieved by gladiolus flowers treated with 25% 7-UP™. Next best visual quality were achieved by Silver nitrate, 2.25% 7-UP™, 4 mg t' KMn04 and STS in the descending order. Flowers treated with 2 mg t' KMn04 and the control (distilled water) had the lowest vase life. The visual quality was lowest in flowers treated with 2 mg t1 KMnO^ When the cots ofcompounds used were considered the study indicates that the treatment 7-UP™ and KMn04 were found to be the cheapest, while silver nitrate and silver thiosulphate are comparatively expensive.