Response of Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) Cultivars to Wet Refrigerated Storage

The stems of nine cultivars of chrysanthemum viz. Reagan Emperor, Sadbhavna, Flirt, Shyamal, Bravo, Winter Queen, Ravi Kiran, Jaya and Mauve Sarah were harvested when the flowers were half open and subjected to wet refrigerated storage for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 days. Cultivars Mauve Sarah, Reagan Emperor and Bravo took longer where as cultivar Winter Queen took the minimum number of days for initiation as well as complete senescence of florets. Increase in the storage duration also hastened post-storage yellowing of leavers. Cultivars Mauve Sarah, Bravo and Reagan Emperor took longer for the initiation as well as 50 per cent of yellowing of leaves. Absorption of water by the stems exhibited decrease with increase in the duration of storage. Cultivar Mauve Sarah showed the maximum water absorption followed by cultivars Flirt, Reagan Emperor, Shyamal, Ravi Kiran and Bravo.