Flowering stem storage of Heliconia psittacorumL. f. cv. Trópica

Abstract

Heliconia psittacorum L. f. is a tropical flower species with high economic potential due to its diversity of shapes, colours and its long vase life. However, storage conditions (temperature and relative humidity; RH) for flower stems during transport is a particular issue to each cultivar determining duration of vase life. Flowering stems were obtained from a commercial plantation in Campo Grande, Iztaczoquitlán, Veracruz, Mexico. The variables evaluated over a 10 day storage period were: fresh weight, colour using the CIE model (L*, a*, b*), peroxidase activity (POX), respiratory intensity and ethylene. The temperature was in the range of 12–26°C, RH between 37 and 90% and light between 0 and 150μmolm−2s−1. A repeated measures experimental design for non-destructive variables was used and a completely randomized design for destructive variables. The conditions which best preserved the quality characteristics during the stem storage (α=0.05) were: 15°C, 63% RH and 0μmolm−2s−1; 16°C, 60% RH and 150μmolm−2s−1 and 12°C, 90% RH and 26μmolm−2s−1. The average vase life (VL) was 6.6 days with 15°C, 63% RH and 0μmolm−2s−1 and total postharvest longevity (TPL) was 16.6 days. In contrast the control treatment had a VL of 2.5 days and a TPL of 12.5 days (24±2°C, 60±5% RH and 10μmolm−2s−1). The presence of leaves increased the respiration, but there was no significant release of ethylene, hence, storage treatments did not affect the ethylene production.