The longevity of cut gladiolus (Gladiolus×hybridum) and carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) flowers influenced by the development stages of flower at harvest time, low temperature storage, and floral preservative solution was studied.
With ´Fire Brand´ gladiolus flower, dipping treatment of the stem base at 1,000ppm or 2,000 ppm AgNO₃ for 15 or 5 minutes, respectively, followed by 4% sucrose solution treatment as a preservative solution extended the life of flowers. When sucrose at 3 or 6% was added in the preservative solution which was adjusted to pH 3, the longevity of the gladiolus flowers was extended.
With ´Coral´ and ´Yellow Smiling´ carnation flower, the longevity of flower was extended when the stem base of the flower was dipping treated with 1,000ppm AgNO₃ solution for 5 minutes and then preserved in the solution containing 2% sucrose. The best treatment for the maximum flower life and quality was when flowers were kept in the solution containing 200ppm 8-hydroxy-quinoline citrate (8-HQC) and 2%∼4% sucrose for ´Coral´ and 200ppm 8-HQC 2% sucrose for ´Yellow Smiling´ cultivar.
When the flower was kept in the proper preservative solution, the carnation flowers could be harvested at the bud stage (3 days after ringing) and then successfully stored at 4℃ cooler for 4 days without influencing the longevity of the flower. The bud cut and low temperature storage proved to be effective to control flower harvest date and further to maintain the price in the market, although carnation flowers generally took one more day to full bloom as compared to the flower harvested 7 days after ringing.
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