TREATMENTS ON CUT FLOWERS OF PAPAVER NUDICAULE L. TO IMPROVE VASE LIFE EXTENSION

The flower stem has laticifers tissues from which, after cutting, the latex flows and plugs vases: for this reason the flower has a short vase - life.

In this research the traditional burning treatment of the stem base was compared with other heat treatments (water and preservative solution at 90°C) and an untreated sample, evaluating the time of flower opening and vase - life.

Concerning winter, the most interesting harvest period, all heat treatments showed the best results respect to the untreated sample. Between heat treatments there were no significative differences; so it is sufficient to apply the simplest (burning treatment) to elongate cut flower vase - life.