Studies On Cut Flower Fresh Keeping Technology Of Chrysanthemum

The effective precooling temperatures and time, optimum composition of cut flower fresh keeping agents, as well as the integral effect of precooling technology and the fresh keeping agents on cut flower vase life of chrysanthemum were determined on two cultivars. The fresh-keeping effect of the two newly developed fresh keeping agents on cut flower of rose and china rose were also investigated. The results indicated that differences on keeping quality were existed between cultivars, cultivar with small plant and corolla showed better keeping quality. Cut flowers of Cuiju and Huangjinshidai were kept best after precooling for 3-5 days under 0℃or -2℃, as the low temperature may have delayed the decomposition of sugar in cut flowers. The newly developed fresh keeping agents composed of sucrose, calcium chloride, citric acid and salicylic acid could prolong vase life of chrysanthemum by 12-15 days compared with the control or 5-8 days compared with the international standard preservative. Cut flowers treated in the fresh keeping agents showed lower level of POD activities, larger flowers, and longer viewing duration. Sugar content of the fresh keeping agents had tremendous effect on vase life and keeping quality of chrysanthemum. The new fresh keeping agents can also prolong vase life of rose and china rose by 13-15 days, and the rose flowers in the solution were not so readily change to blue compared with the control. The two fresh keeping agents showed good application future due to its simple, safe, nontoxic components and its easy to use and pollution free characters.The combination of precooling technology and integral fresh keeping agents for cut flower fresh keeping of chrysanthemum has not been reported up to now. The environmentally friend fresh keeping agents were proved to be effective on cut flowers of rose and china rose, they might also be useful for fresh keeping of other ornamental produces.