Effect of Pulsing, Modified Atmosphere Storage at Low Temperature and Vase Solution on Flower Quality and Vase Life of Gladiolus Cut Spikes

The effects of pre-storage pulse treatment, modified atmosphere (MA) storage at low temperature and vase solution on flower quality and vase life in gladiolous cut spikes cv. Peter Pears were investigated. The pre-storage pulse treatment (300 ppm 8-HQ for lh and 20% sucrose for 12 h) and post-storage vase solution treatment (300 ppm 8-HQ +5% sucrose) proved to be highly promising in augening the postharvest keping quality of the modifed atmosphere packaged (60 m polypropylene) and low temperature stored gladiolus cut spikes. The modified atmosphere packaging of cut flowers with polypropylene or coated paper and refrigerated storage at 6–10°C for five day, retained the flower quality and life nearly to fresh flower spike. The applicaion of pre-storage pulse and post-storage vase solution further contributed in improving the flower quality over fresh cut spikes. The triple treatment of pre-storage pulse, MA storage and post-storage vase solution treatment significantly increased the water uptake by the cut spikes and fresh weight of the cut spikes. Further, these treatments increased the accumulation of total soluble sugars and petal pigments anthocyanins and carotenes in the petals of cut spikes on 4th DAT. The triple treatment exhibited decreased peroxidation of lipids in the petals and increased the membrane stability index (%) of the petal tissue, as compared to only modified atmosphere stored and fresh cut spikes. Thus, the pre-storage pulse treatment of 300 pp 8-HQ for lh, followed by 20% sucrose for 12 h and post-storage vase solution enriched with 300 pp 8-HQ and 5%sucrose significantly improved the flower quality (5 grade: excellent) and extended vaselife (17 day and 14 day, respactively) of the low temperature modified atmosphere stored(5 and 10 day) gladiolus cut spikes as compared to fresh cut spikes (vase life: 8.5 day, quality: poor)