Changes in Moisture Content and Quality of Oriental Hybrid Lily (Lilium oriental cv. Siberia) Cut Flowers during Storage at Cold and Dry Condition and Subsequent Exposure to Ambient Temperature

Abstract

In order to determine the relationship between water content and flower qualities of oriental hybrid lily cv. 'Siberia' cut flower, flowers were subjected to dry and cold storage at 5 o C for 3, 6, and 12 days and subsequently exposed to ambient temperature (26 o C) in bottles with water for up to 16 days. Flowers stored at 22 o C in dry condition for 3 days were used as the control. Changes in fresh weight, moisture content, water balance, flowering stages, osmolality and vase life of cut flowers were observed. Flowers treated with cold and dry storage had higher moisture content compared to control sample. However, this trend was evident only for 3-day cold and dry stored sample during the whole storage period. The fresh weight of cut flowers increased gradually when the samples were transferred to ambient temperature in water bottles and then declined steadily before reaching the peak in between 6-8 days of vase life. However, the changes of fresh weight of control sample were substantially faster than samples pre-treated with cold and dry storage. This was also correlated with the water balance of cut flower as it reached the minus (-) value in 6-8 days of vase life at ambient temperature. Cut lily flowers showed high osmolality values corresponding with the duration of dry storage regardless of low or higher temperature. However, osmolality had no effect on vase life since flower stem absorbed water rapidly at the end of dry storage period. Our vase life results suggest that cold and dry storage of lily cut flowers for a certain period could ensure longer vase life at ambient temperature. It was observed that prolonging the storage period at cold and dry condition for more than a week significantly increased bud abortion, reduced longevity of flowers and reduced the vase life of cut flowers. On the other hand, the shorter cold and dry storage treatment delayed the bud opening and senescence of the flowers, thus, slowering the normal maturation and aging. Results indicated that dry and cold storage at 5 o C for 3 days was effective in maintaining and preserving overall quality and vase life at ambient condition of oriental hybrid lily cut flowers.