Postharvest handling protocols for Tagetes erecta as cut flower

Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) is a commercially important specialty cut flower, but postharvest handling protocols for extending vase life need to be optimized. Harvest stage, harvest/handling procedures, and exogenous ethylene had no effect on cut ?Sovereign? Gold Coin African marigold stem longevity; however, an anti-ethylene agent, silver thiosulfate (STS), increased the vase life of cut marigold stems 2.1 days longer than deionized water. Dry-stored stems had a longer vase life compared with tems stored in water; vase life decreased significantly after 1 week storage. Stems hydrated in DI water with Floralife Hydraflor 100, Chrysal Professional 1, or STS for 4 h had a longer vase life than stems hydrated with just DI or 1-methylcyclopropene.Use of holding preservative alone for 44 h, or along with hydrator for 4 h had ~ 3 days longer vase life than DI water, while pulsing with 5% sucrose supplemented with the antimicrobial agent, Kathon (7 mg.L-1), for 24 hours increased vase life by ~ 1 day compared with DI water. Stems kept continuously in Floralife Clear Professional Flower Food without floral foam had 2.4 days longer vase life compared with DI water. Stems kept in DI water without floral foam also had a longer vase life compared with stems placed in floral foam saturated with DI water, or commercial preservatives. Floral foam reduced vase life. SourcesOPTIMAL POSTHARVEST HANDLING PROTOCOLS FOR TAGETES ERECTA ?SOVEREIGN?Ahmad, I12, Dole, JM1iftikharahmadhashmi@gmail.com, iahmad3@ncsu.edu1North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC USA2University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PakistanIHC 2014, International Horticulture Congress, 17-22 August 2014, Brisbane, http://www.ihc2014.org/The picture is by www.benary.comKey wordsPoscosecha?? ?postcosecha?? ?postharvest?? ?na-oes?? ??? ??? ???????? ????? ??? ?post-r?colte?? ????? ?? ??????????? ??? ?na-oogst?? ?post-raccolta?? ?Obr?bka po?? ?p?s-colheita?? ????????????????? ?hasat sonras??? ??? ?Ernte?? ????????????????? ????? ????????????? ?postcollita?? ?poskliz?ov頠 ????? ??? ??? ??? ?nakon branja?? ?pozberov頠 ??? ?obdelovanje zemlje po?? ?post-colleita?? ?????? ??????? ?pascapanen?? ??il?onn postharvest?? ??????? ?p?c ra?as?? ?derliaus apdirbimas po?? ?lepas tuai?? ??? ?? ???????? ?post-recoltare?? ??????? ??????? ???????????????????? ?????????????? ?????????????????? ?sau thu ho?ch?? ?????????????????? ?zangemva kwenkathi yokuvuna?? ??? ?Flores?? ??? ?flowers?? ?blomme?? ???????? ???? ??? ?fleur?? ??????????? ?????? ??? ?fiore?? ??? ??? ????????? ??i?ek?? ??????? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ????