Hyperspectral imaging as a means to assess quality issues of cut flowers

Accurately predicting vase-life would ensure that retailers can provide assurances as to the quality of cut flowers with respect to a guaranteed vase-life. However, at the present time any vase-life testing is performed concurrent with the consumers' use of the flowers. Several options have previously been proposed for cut flower testing based upon developmental morphology, biochemistry or gene expression, but such methods maybe inaccurate, expensive and are not instant. Therefore, there may be a delay in being able to sell such flowers until the test results are analysed, which is impractical. Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is routinely used for quality control of many foodstuffs and can be performed at video rates, and could thus provide fast and accurate data on aspects of flower quality. Here we report the use of HSI to distinguish the different developmental stages of two different cultivars of cut Alstroemeria flowers, and to detect flowers that have been stored for several days from those freshly harvested. It was also possible to distinguish stored flowers that had been refreshed in water from freshly harvested flowers, even though they were indistinguishable by eye, moreover such stored and refreshed flowers are known to have a reduced vase life.