Studies on post harvest attributes of tuberose as influenced by tinting with edible colours

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) is a popular cut flower having white coloured fragrant blooms. In order to increase the value and appeal of flower along with fragrance, the spikes of tuberose can be tinted with artificial colours. Therefore, the cultivar Vaibhav was selected to conduct tinting and post harvest studies. The freshly harvested cut flower spikes were treated with four edible dyes (Red, Orange, Green and Brown) at different concentrations (0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 per cent) to study the effect of edible dyes on quality and vase life of tuberose. The cut ends of tuberose spikes were immersed in dye solution for six hours and after that they were transferred to distilled water. Minimum weight loss (5.01g) and per cent weight loss (12.29%) was observed with 0.2% dye. Maximum dye uptake (3.00ml) was observed in flowers tinted with 0.4% orange dye, however, Maximum average stem girth (20.88 mm) was recorded in flowers held in 0.8% dye concentration. Maximum vase life vase life (7.56days) was observed in either non tinted flowers or flowers tinted with 0.4% dye. Maximum volume of water uptake (29.22ml) was recorded in flowers held in 0.4% orange dye. Maximum floret opening (15.01%) and floret drying (25.23%) was observed in flowers tinted with 0.2% dye concentration whereas maximum florets dried (42.47%) was observed with 0.8% dye solution.