Keeping quality of cut roses cv. Vega in holding solutions

Abstract

The rose is considered one of the most traditional and required cut flowers in the world market. However, after cutting, these flowers become highly perishable, because the high metabolic activity leads to senescence processes. The experiment was accomplished to verify the effect of holding solutions on the postharvest physiology of cut red roses, cv. Vega. A randomized design in a factorial scheme composed by two factors was used: seven postharvest treatments and four evaluation dates. The flowers remained in the following holding solutions: 1) Distilled water; 2) 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate (200 mg L-1); 3) 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate (200 mg L-1) + Sucrose (20 mg L-1); 4) Citric acid (75 mg L-1); 5) Citric acid (75 mg L-1) + Sucrose (20 mg L-1); 6) 6-benzyladenine (60 mg L-1); 7) 6-benzyladenine (60 mg L-1) + Sucrose (20 mg L-1). Qualitative and physiologic analyses were carried out during the evaluation period. The treatment with 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate and citric acid were the most promising to keep the quality and extend the vase life of flowers content; better maintenance of soluble and reducing carbohydrates, anthocyanin and color.