Display life ofGentianaflowers is cultivar specific and influenced by sucrose, gibberellin, fluoride, and postharvest storage

Abstract

Gentiana are developing into a significant New Zealand export cut flower crop. The current investigation was undertaken to describe the postharvest characteristics of the cultivars grown in New Zealand, thereby establishing a baseline for selection of new cultivars with superior postharvest performance. Three cultivars were used in the current postharvest investigation, G. triflora 'Nasu NoHakuryo' (a white flowered cultivar), and two blue flowered cultivars, G. triflora 'Late Blue' and G. triflora ' Ashiro No-Ake'. The postharvest quality of these Gentiana cut flowers is influenced by a number of factors including harvest maturity, pulsing solutions, cultivar, fluoride, and postharvest storage. In particular, pulsing solutions that contain sucrose (2-5%) or gibberellic acid (GA 3 , 10 µM) extended the vase life of 'Late Blue' and enhanced the quality (blue coloration of apical buds) of 'Ashiro No-Ake', but did not improve the postharvest quality of 'Nasu No-Hakuryo'. The effectiveness of these solutions is reduced when stems are not subjected to extended periods of postharvest storage, or when stems are harvested at an advanced stage of maturity.

Post-harvest Physiology of Flowers from the Family Gentianaceae

“…They concluded that tipburn in Eustoma was an effect of constant high RH that influenced the translocation of Ca 2+ to the leaf tips. Eason et al (2004) investigated the effect of plant age on post-harvest life of cut flowers of G. triflora cv. 'Ashiro No-Ake.'…”

“…In addition, removal of immature shoots was suggested to improve the display quality in cut Eustoma flowers. Eason et al (2004) showed that proper harvest maturity differs for each cultivar in Gentiana flowers. They defined the maturity of stages by the developmental stage of the apical buds.…”

“…Flowers with long stems (80 cm), a symmetrical set of flowers at each stem node, with a minimum of 4 flowering nodes beneath the stem apex, small leaves devoid of damage, and well-colored flowers at the stem apex, are the required quality criteria for gentian flowers (Eason et al 2004).…”

“…The first research on post-harvest physiology of Gentiana flowers was published in 1987 by Webb and Littlejohn. More recently, Eason et al (2004) published a detailed post-harvest research paper on Gentiana flowers. In addition, there is a PhD study (Zhang 2008) on the physiology during senescence of gentian flowers.…”

“…The cut flowers of cultivars of another gentian, G. triflora, responded to the post-harvest treatments differently. Sucrose at 2-5 % (w/v) and gibberellic acid (GA 3 ) at 10 μM increased significantly the vase life of G. triflora 'Late Blue,' whereas these compounds had no effect on the longevity of flowers of G. triflora 'Nasu No-Hakuryo' (Eason et al 2004).…”