Abstract
ABSTRACT The use of postharvest coatings of fruits and vegetables has been the subject of many studies for their ability to extend the shelf life of vegetables. However, little is known about the effect of coatings on postharvest of cut flowers. We evaluated the effect of different concentrations of natural coating based on hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and beeswax (CA) on postharvest of cut roses. White rose cultivar ‘Avalanche’ obtained from commercial production at the bud stage were used. The coating was prepared by the combination of the hydrophilic phase (HPMC) and the lipid phase (CA) suspended in water, resulting in 50g lipids / 100g emulsion. The emulsion was sprayed on the flowers in different volumes: 0 (distilled water); 1.5; 3.0 and 4.5 mL rose-1. The roses were maintained at 20 ± 1 °C and RH> 70% for 9 days for physiological analysis and 12 days for vase life. Data were collected every 3 days for accumulated of fresh mass, water absorption, relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI) and vase life. The application of 3.0 mL/rose of the coating resulted in higher RWC and MSI throughout the storage time. We conclude that the use of a natural coating of HPMC/beeswax sprayed at 3.0 mL / rose increased the vase life of the ‘Avalanche’ rose by 2 days.
Highlights
Quality and floral longevity are economically important factors for the commercialization of cut flowers due to the short postharvest life of many species.The rose is the most important cut flower in world sales
There was a reduction of the fresh mass loss (FML) of the ‘Avalanche’ roses treated with the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and beeswax-based coatings, especially with 3.0 mL and 4.5 mL coating / stem, which had average FML values of 0.19% and 1.45%, respectively, and did not differ significantly from each other (Table 1)
The treatment with 3.0 mL of the coating showed the highest water absorption mean of 4.82%, differing from the control with a mean of 3.62% (Table 1)
Summary
Quality and floral longevity are economically important factors for the commercialization of cut flowers due to the short postharvest life of many species. The water relations of cut flowers are dependent on a series of physiological and anatomical characteristics regulating rates of water loss and water absorption. These characteristics are the result of the complex interaction between the genotype and the environment during cultivation, and subsequently determine the vase life of a particular cut flower (Fanourakis et al, 2012). When applied to the surface of the plant, it changes their physical properties and helps reduce water loss by modifying gas exchange, which in the case of cut flowers may increase vase life. The use of a coating that associates the characteristics of a material with a barrier to gas exchange, and another with a barrier to humidity, can potentially extend the vase life in cut flowers.
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