The longevity and quality of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.)‎ cut flowers as affected by ethanol, methanol, citric acid and silver thiosulphate

Abstract EN

This investigation was conducted at Antoniades Research Branch, Horticulture Research Institute, A.R.C.

Alexandria, Egypt during the two successive seasons of 2018 and 2019 to elucidate the effects of ethanol, methanol, citric acid and silver thiosulphate on the longevity and quality of Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) cut flowers.

Nine treatments were used in this investigation (control, ethanol at both 2 and 4 %, methanol at both 2 and 4%, citric acid at both 0.2 and 0.4 g / L were used as pulsing treatments for 24 hours and silver thiosulphate (STS) at 0.1 and 0.2 mg/L were used as pulsing treatment for one hour).

The gained results exhibited that all treatments ; caused significant (P 0.05 ) increase in the vase life of P.

tuberosa cut spikes except STS treatments as compared to control treatment.

The application of any ethanol treatments caused the highest significant (P 0.05) increase in vase life with no significant difference between them.

Moreover, methanol and ethanol treatments caused observed increase in final water uptake, floret’s opening and reducing sugars and decrease in floret’s welting percentage.