Postharvest performance of cut carnation, chrysanthemum and rose as influenced by conventional and organic floral preservatives

Abstract

Selected commercial preservatives were tested to determine the optimum conventional and organic hydrator and holding solutions for vase life extension and suppression of microbial populations in vase solutions of cut carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) Select Red, chrysanthemum [Dendranthemum grandiflora (Ramat.) Kitam.] Anastasia, and rose (Rosa × hybrida L.) Freedom. Hydrators extended vase life of carnation but had no effect on chrysanthemum or rose. Chrysal Professional 2 (conventional holding solution), after hydration with deionized (DI) water, extended vase life of cut carnation to 36.0 days compared with DI water or Vita One Step (organic preservative solution), resulting in vase lives of 21.0 or 20.9 days, respectively. For chrysanthemum, all preservative solutions had statistically similar vase life. Holding solutions increased vase life of cut roses and carnation, but were ineffective for chrysanthemum. The greatest vase life extension occurred with Floralife Premium Rose Food (conventional holding solution), 7.9 and 7.3 days longer, than with DI water in cut Freedom roses after treatment with Floralife Hydraflor 100 (conventional hydrator solution) and DI water, respectively. However, Vita One Step (organic hydrator and holding solution) reduced vase life by 2.4 days and had higher bent neck incidence (93%) than DI water. Floralife Premium Rose Food and Chrysal Rose Vase (conventional holding solution) effectively controlled bent neck. DI water with organic Vita products had higher bacterial populations than conventional products for all species tested. Among the preservatives investigated, conventional products increased vase life more than organic products, indicating the need for organic preservatives with effective antimicrobial activity.

Keywords::

• cut flowers
• Dendranthemum grandiflora
• Dianthus caryophyllus
• holding solutions
• hydrator
• Rosa × hybrida
• vase life

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Sunburst Flower Farms, Colombia, South America for stems of carnation and chrysanthemum and Dole Fresh Flowers, Miami, FL, USA, for providing stems of roses and Erin M.R. Clark for technical support. Critical reviews of this manuscript by Julia L. Kornegay, John D. Williamson, and Bryon R. Sosinski are gratefully acknowledged.

Additional information

Funding

Funding

The authors are grateful to the Endowment Fund Secretariat, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan for the financial support of the senior author and North Carolina Agricultural Research Service (NCARS), Raleigh, NC 27695-7643, USA, for partial funding of this study. Use of trade names in this publication does not imply endorsement by the NCARS of products named nor criticism of similar ones not mentioned.