Vinegar, better than water alone to prolong gladiolus shelf life

Postharvest, poscosecha, postcosecha, gladiolo, gladiolus, vinegar solution, abnormal wilting, vase life Gladious is one of the commercially important agricultural crops in Myanmar. Wilting (with or without stem breakage) and short vase life of the cut flower are major problems. This study investigated the effects of different holding solutions on the quality and vase life of cut gladiolus harvested at the bud stage, i.e. with unopened flowers (spikelets). Flower opening was best favored in cut flowers with base wrapped with ordinary cotton wet with vinegar solution (*) which was also the most effective in prolonging vase life. Incidence of wilting was highest on water vase solution alone. (*) The commercial Myanmar vinegar (pH 2.7, acetic acid 5%) and tap water (pH 7.2) were used. The vinegar vase solution was adjusted to about pH 4.5 with tap water to produce about 100 ppm acetic acid solution (1.5 ml vinegar added with 700 ml water). Sources:Kyi, A., Nyo, N., Myint, K.T. and Soe, T.T. 2013. EFFECT OF WATER AND VINEGAR VASE SOLUTIONS WITH OR WITHOUT WETTING AGENTS ON VASE LIFE QUALITY OF GLADIOLUS (GLADIOLUS SPP.). Acta Hort. (ISHS) 989:167-173 Southeast Asia Symposium on Quality Management in Postharvest Systems and Asia Pacific Symposium on Postharvest Quality Management of Root and Tuber Crops The picture belongs to the catalogue of white varieties of gladiolus from Intersemillas; more information, HERE. ? ?