Physiological effects of pulsing on torch ginger stems

Abstract

Sucrose pulsing solutions are employed for hydrating and maintaining the turgor of flower stems by influencing respiratory processes, supplementing natural sugars, and reducing transpiration. Additionally, sucrose pulsing can impact the physiology of flower stems, altering metabolism, postharvest quality, and durability. However, these effects are unknown for many tropical species. The objective was to elucidate the physiological and biochemical effects of pulsing torch ginger inflorescences with varying sucrose concentrations postharvest. To achieve this, floral stems of torch ginger were collected and immersed in sucrose solutions with concentrations of 15%, 20%, and 25% for 24 hours. Following this period, the stems were transferred to water, and every 3 days, assessments were made for visual quality, the percentage of true flowers, absorption rate, water content, fresh and dry mass, and colorimetric parameters. The activation of the antioxidant system and measurement of macromolecule content were also conducted. Pulsing with 20% and 25% sucrose accelerated the emergence of true flowers, in addition to increasing the absorption rate and fresh mass values of the stems. At these concentrations, an increase in lipid peroxidation was also observed. No SOD or CAT expression was noted, but pulsing led to increased reserves of proteins and sugars. Pulsing with 15% sucrose is recommended for torch ginger to maintain higher visual quality up to the 9th day after harvest.