Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, IARI, New Delhi 110 012
* Present address: Indian Institute of Spices Research, Calicut 673 012
Cut flowers of Raktagandha rose treated with pulsing of sucrose (3%) + 8-HQC (150 ppm) for 24 hr followed by wet storage (3°C) reduced the protease activity (acid and alkali) significantly in petal and leaf tissues on both the stages viz., just after storage and on senescence over 8 days of storage against nonpulsing. In general, alkali protease activity was more prominent than acid protease activity in both petal and leaf tissues of cut roses. However, petals had higher enzyme activity than that of leaf. Reduced enzyme activity (acid and alkali) was associated with longer vase-life of cut roses influenced by pulsing treatment.
