Effect of cold storage and preservative solutions on vase life of bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae)‎ cut flowers

Abstract EN

This experiment was carried out during two successive seasons of (April and November, 2016) on bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) cut flowers at laboratory of the Plant Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture Saba Basha, and Refrigerator of Faculty of Agriculture, Alshatby, Alexandria University, to study the effect of cold storage and preservation solution on vase life of bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae).

A split plot designed experiment with three replicates treatments for each as follow: Silver thiosulphate (STS) (0.463mM), Silver thiosulphate (STS) (0.463mM) + Matricoria Chamomilla (ME) extract at 250mg/L, Silver thiosulphate (STS) (0.463mM) + Ocimum basilicum (OE) extract at 250 mg/L, Citric acid at 150 mg/L+8-hydroxy quinolene sulphate (8-HQS) at 250 mg/L as pulsing solutions and sucrose (S)20%+ Silver thiosulphate (STS) as holding solutions, and effect of storage at (10oC) for 0,1,2 and 3 weeks.

Control characters were immersed in distilled water and kept at room temperature (18±2 oC) The obtained results showed that cold storage at (10℃) for one-week with silver thiosulphate (STS) (0.46mM) and Ocimum basilicum (OE) extract at ( 250 mg/L) pulsing treatments caused a significant increase of the physical characters as floret diameter, vase life, spike fresh and dry weights (g), opening %, chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll and gave the highest mean values of chemical compositions as total sugars (%); reducing sugars (%); nonreducing sugars (%), compared with control treatment which gave the lowest mean values of the all physical and chemical composition during both experiments.