1Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, College of Horticulture, UHS campus, GKVK, Bengaluru-7411345204, India
2Division of Ornamental Crops, Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, 560089, Bengaluru, India
*Corresponding author: girijakumarich@gmail.com
Online published on 18 May, 2015.
Investigations were carried out to study the effect of precooling and preservative chemicals on post harvest longevity of the florets of tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa L.) cv. Prajwal. The effect of precooling of tuberose florets in combination with four chemical treatments were studied and observations were recorded based on quality parameters like freshness of the florets, colour retention, physiological loss in weight and days to fifty per cent wilting. Pre-cooling of flower buds was found to improve the longevity (shelf life) of flower buds. Soaking of florets in 4% Boric acid solution for two hours and air drying them before packing increased the shelf life up to six days.
Soaking the buds in 4% Boric acid solution for two hours after pre-cooling at 4°C proved to be the best treatment to improve shelf life of the tuberose florets.
Tuberose, florets, precooling, chemical treatment, shelf life
