Cutting storage and shipment in modified atmosphere packaging

Modified atmosphere packaging has the ability to create lower oxygen and higher carbon dioxide atmospheres during shipment and storage of horticultural commodities, potentially reducing quality loss caused by high respiration, transpiration, ethylene, and pathogen growth. The objective of this study was to quantify the effects of three types of modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) on quality of unrooted cuttings of three species, Calibrachoa hybrid 'Cabaret Hot Pink', Petunia × hybrida 'Sun Spun Silver' and Verbena × hybrida 'Aztec Pink' during shipment and four storage durations (0, 1, 2, or 3 weeks). Upon removal from storage, the cutting quality decreased for all cultivars as the storage duration increased from 0 to 3 weeks, whether by increased Botrytis/necrosis, abscised leaves, mortality, tissue desiccation, or lower overall shoot quality ratings due to these factors. Necrotic tissue was often localized within MAP bags, with cuttings not touching these areas being unaffected. For post-propagation evaluations, all cultivars had more parameters affected by storage duration than by bag type. For stored cuttings, the MAP bags increased post-storage shoot quality for Calibrachoa and Verbena, post-propagation shoot quality for Petunia, and shoot dry weight for Calibrachoa and Verbena. These results suggest that for unrooted cuttings of floriculture species the effects of MAP depended on the particular species.