Assessment of Different Preservative Solutions on Vase Life of Cut Roses

The postharvest vase life of cut roses was studied to determine the effects of various physiological factors that influence the vase life of cut flower. Cut roses were obtained from commercial area of Siliguri. To assess the effect of preservatives on the postharvest life of rose, cut flowers were treated with following preservative solutions: fixed amount of citric acid (CA) (300 mg/ml) and 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) (200 mg/ml) with various concentrations (1% to 8%) of sucrose solution. Each treatment consisted of 3 replicates. Cut roses were treated with different solutions and were kept at normal room temperature (20o C) under normal day light and natural ventilation. The biochemical parameters such as phenol, flavonol content, total soluble sugar, reducing sugar, non-reducing sugar, and for antioxidant property 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity was determined in flowers treated for 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 days, respectively. The physiological parameters such as vase life, water uptake, transpiration rate and water balance were also observed. The results demonstrated that the flowers which were treated with 5% of sucrose extended the vase life of cut flower from 4 to 8 days by improving the carbohydrate supply and reducing oxidative stress mediated damages during rose flower senescence.