Abstract
The experiment was conducted to find out a chemical preservative solution to extend the vase life and reduce the stem bending of gerbera ( Gerbera hybrida ). Calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ; 1 %), lime juice (0.5 %), vinegar (0.6 %) and sucrose (2 %) were used in the eight treatments, arranged in a Complete Randomized Design with 10 replicates. The vase life and stem bending percentage were observed daily. Fresh weight of flower heads and stems were measured. Flower quality was recorded after 12 days by a scale developed for the said purpose. Qualitative data were analyzed by Kruskal-Wallis test and quantitative data were analyzed by using one way ANOVA. Significant differences (p 2 1 % in distilled water. Tropical Agricultural Research Vol. 24 (4): 375-379 (2013)
Highlights
Gerbera (Gerbera hybrida) belongs to the family Asteraceae
Stem bending is one of the major problems in gerbera cut flowers, and addition of chemical preservatives to the vase solution increases the vase-life of cut flowers (Dissanayake et al, 2009)
The fresh weight of flower heads and the fresh weight of stems were significantly different between T2 and T7
Summary
Gerbera (Gerbera hybrida) belongs to the family Asteraceae. They are attractive flowers and are available in a wide range of colours such as yellow, orange, pink, crimson, red, purple and white. Stem (stalk) bending is one of the major problems in gerbera cut flowers, and addition of chemical preservatives to the vase solution increases the vase-life of cut flowers (Dissanayake et al, 2009). The vase life of gerbera could be extended by using chemicals such as silver nitrate (AgNO3) and 8-Hydroxyquinoline citrate (8-HQC), which are expensive and hazardous to the environment (Ekanayake et al, 2008) and growers could not use these postharvest treatments. The present study was conducted to identify a method to extend the vase life of gerbera (G. hybrida)
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