Assessment of the Longevity and Water Relations of Cut Gladiolus ‘White Prosperity’ in Response to GA3 Corms Pretreatment and the Composition of the Holding Solution

Abstract

The experiment was carried out in the Botanical Garden and Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Kurukshetra University (India) to identify the effect of postharvest treatments on qualitative traits of control (untreated) and GA3 pretreated (100 ppm) corms of ‘White Prosperity’ gladiolus to enhance flower quality and prolong longevity. Different concentrations of sucrose alone and in combinations with citric acid and 8-hydroxyquinoline (8-HQ) [T0 – control (DDW); T1 – 8% sucrose; T2 – sucrose (8%) + citric acid (200 ppm); T3 – sucrose (8%) + 8-HQ (400 ppm); T4 – citric acid (200 ppm); T5 – sucrose (4%); T6 – sucrose (4%) + citric acid (200 ppm); T7 – sucrose (4%) + 8-HQ (400 ppm)] were used as postharvest treatments under completely randomized design with ten replicates per treatment. The moisture content and the fresh weight were higher in spikes obtained from GA3 pretreated corms placed in sucrose (4%) + 8-HQ (400 ppm) solution as postharvest treatment followed by sucrose (4%) + citric acid (200 ppm) in gladiolus. The combination of sucrose (4%) + 8-HQ (400 ppm) followed by sucrose (4%) + citric acid (200 ppm) also demonstrated the best outcomes in terms of improving water uptake and vase life, which increased by ten days. These best preservative treatments are suitable for delaying flower senescence, prolonging the vase life, and enhancing the postharvest quality of gladioli. Further, this method can also help in testing new gladiolus hybrid selections.

Keywords

• 8-hydroxyquinoline
• citric acid
• fresh weight
• water content
• vase life