Effects of postharvest treatments and modified atmosphere packaging on quality of tropical flowers and foliage

E.J. Woltering
Tropical flowers and foliage generally cannot be stored or transported at temperatures below 12°C. The high temperature considerably restricts their postharvest life span. To improve storage and distribution potential of these products, a number of postharvest treatments were applied to different tropical flower species and foliage. Material was harvested in Costa Rica, treated on the farm and transported (air transport) to The Netherlands. Quality was assessed at arrival and during the vase life (in water) under standardized conditions. Treatment (dipping) with Chrysal Viva before transport delayed senescence (and prolonged the vase life) of Etlingera and ginger cut flowers and of Philodendron and Alocasia leaves. It did not affect the vase life of Helicosia and Psitocorum cut flowers and of Monstera and Cordyline leaves. MA packaging had no effect on the vase life of the tested flower species but positively affected the vase life of Monstera and Alocasia leaves. Several treatments (Chrysal Viva, lanthanum chloride, triiodo benzoic acid, hot water dipping) were applied to alleviate gravitropic bending in ginger, but none were successful.
Woltering, E.J. (2024). Effects of postharvest treatments and modified atmosphere packaging on quality of tropical flowers and foliage. Acta Hortic. 1397, 55-60
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1397.9
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2024.1397.9
tropical flowers, foliage, transport, gravitropic bending, senescence, vase life
English