EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT PRESERVATIVES ON POSTHARVEST LIFE OF TUBEROSE AND GLADIOLUS

Abstract

An examination was carried out in the Laboratory of Horticulture and Postharvest Technology Department, SAU during the period from 9th to zs" December, 2006 to study the effects of different preservatives on postharvest life of cut flowers. For this trial spikes of tuberose and gladiolus were kept in chrysal clear (a commercial floral preservative) solution, 2% sucrose solution, 50 ppm bleach solution and 2% sucrose + 50 ppm bleach solution. Two different solutions of each preservative was prepared by using tap water and distilled water. The experiment was laid out in Complete Randomize Design. Chrysal clear gave the best result in respect of flower opening, water uptake and vase life. The highest vase life of tuberose and gladiolus was 13.75 days and 11.63 days respectively in chrysal clear whereas it was 8.13 days and 7.44 days in control. Treatment with 2% sucrose + 50 ppm bleach solution gave almost the similar result as chrysal clear which was 13.63 days and 11 days in tuberose and gladiolus respectively. Water uptake rate was the highest in chrysal clear closely followed by 2% sucrose+ 50 ppm bleach solution. Percentages of flower opening were the highest in chrysal clear solution which was 90.44% in tuberose and cent percent in gladiolus. Flower opening rate was 86.64% in tuberose and 93. l 9% in gladiolus in treatment with 2% sucrose + 50 ppm bleach solution, whereas in control treatment it was only 66.19% and 63.76% in tuberose and gladiolus respectively. Tap water performed better than disullcd water in respect of vase life, flower opening and uptaking of water but there was no significant variation between them. As 2% sucrose + 50 ppm bleach gives, more or less, similar performance as chrysal clear, so it can be a suitable substitute of chrysal clear in Bangladesh aspec