Postharvest Evaluation of Cut Dahlia, Linaria, Lupine, Poppy, Rudbeckia, Trachelium, and Zinnia

Abstract

<jats:p>Vase life of ‘Karma Thalia’ dahlia (<jats:italic>Dahlia</jats:italic> ×<jats:italic>hybrida</jats:italic>), ‘Lace Violet’ linaria (<jats:italic>Linaria maroccana</jats:italic>), ‘Sunrise’ lupine (<jats:italic>Lupinus hartwegii</jats:italic> ssp. <jats:italic>cruickshankii</jats:italic>), ‘Temptress’ poppy (<jats:italic>Papaver nudicaule</jats:italic>), ‘Indian Summer’ rudbeckia (<jats:italic>Rudbeckia</jats:italic> ×<jats:italic>hybrida</jats:italic>), ‘Jemmy Royal Purple’ trachelium (<jats:italic>Trachelium caeruleum</jats:italic>), and ‘Benary's Giant Scarlet’ and ‘Sun Gold’ zinnias (<jats:italic>Zinnia elegans</jats:italic>) was determined after being subjected to postharvest handling procedures. Cut dahlia, lupine, poppy, rudbeckia, trachelium, and ‘Sun Gold’ and ‘Benary's Giant Scarlet’ zinnia flowers could be held in unamended tap or deionized (DI) water with no effect on vase life. Vase life of linaria was longest when placed in DI water with 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate and a solution pH of 3.5. A vase solution of 2% sucrose without foam extended consumer vase lives for linaria, trachelium, and ‘Benary's Giant Scarlet’ zinnia. Floral foam or 2% or 4% sucrose had no effect on the consumer vase life of dahlia, lupine, rudbeckia, and poppy. Trachelium and rudbeckia did not tolerate a 20% sucrose treatment for 24 h, whereas linaria and ‘Benary's Giant Scarlet’ zinnia had a longer vase life with a 10% sucrose pulse than a water-only pulse. For trachelium, the longest (17.5 days) consumer vase life occurred when the Chrysal Professional 2 Processing solution (CP2) was used after pretreatment with DI water. Either of two commercial holding solutions, CP2 or Floralife Professional (FLP), similarly extended the vase life of linaria. The use of FLP or CP2 improved consumer vase life of dahlia, lupine, and poppy compared with DI water. Dahlia, trachelium, and zinnia flowers could not be cold stored at 2 °C. Lupine and poppy could be stored at 2 °C wet or dry for 2 weeks. Linaria and rudbeckia could be cold stored for 3 weeks. Lupine and trachelium were susceptible to 1 μL·L<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> exogenous ethylene, which induced floret abscission in lupine and stopped floret opening in trachelium. 1-Methylcyclopropene and silver thiosulfate similarly suppressed the ethylene effect. Cut linaria, zinnia, dahlia, rudbeckia, and poppy flowers were unaffected by exogenous ethylene.</jats:p>

Effects of Bacterial Proliferation and Soluble Carbohydrate Levels on the Vase Life of Cut Dahlia (<i>Dahlia variabilis</i>) Flowers

“…The characteristics of cut dahlia flowers during postharvest handling have previously been reported by Shimizu-Yumoto and Ichimura (2013), who demonstrated that a 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) spray treatment extended the vase life of some cultivars. Moreover, some researchers have reported that treatment with sugars or antibacterial agents also extends the vase life of cut dahlia flowers (Dole et al, 2009;Takahashi et al, 2016), although these studies were limited to only a few cultivars and did not clarify how bacterial proliferation or a deficiency of carbohydrates affect vase life. Moreover, the form of the dahlia flower is a type of bloom on the stem of a plant known as a capitulum that is common in Asteraceae plants.…”

Evaluating Ethylene Sensitivity within the Family Solanaceae at Different Developmental Stages

“…Most evaluations of ethylene sensitivity have been performed on mature plants or on detached organs (i.e., fruits or cut flowers) (Archambault et al, 2006;Dole et al, 2009;Goto et al, 1999;Serek et al, 1994Serek et al, , 1995van Doorn, 2001van Doorn, , 2002Woltering, 1987;Woltering and van Doorn, 1988). A few studies have used the seedling triple response to evaluate differences in ethylene sensitivity between plants (Clark et al, 2001;Edelman et al, 2014;Lanahan et al, 1994).…”

Flower senescence in composite flowers, can understanding how dahlia florets senesce help to increase dahlia vase life?

“…Woltering and van Doorn (1988) concluded that dahlias were slightly sensitive to ethylene. Moreover, Dole et al (2009) found that 'Karma Thalia' dahlias were unaffected by an ethylene exposure of 16 h at 1 μL L −1 . However, Kato et al, (2002) found that Campanula medium flowers were unaffected after exposure to ethylene at 10 μL L -1 for 16 h, but all flowers wilted after exposure to ethylene at 2 μL L -1 for 48 h. Therefore, longer exposure to ethylene may affect dahlias as well and the response may be related to the stage of development when exposed to ethylene.…”

“…Ideally therefore flowers need to last for 10-14 days overall. Previous work indicates that the dahlia flower may reach a vase life of up to 10 days (Dole et al, 2009) however, the commercial practicalities of this have yet to be examined.…”