(Post harvest studies on cut carnation flowers (Dianthus Caryophyllus

Abstract

Carnation flowers (Dianthus Caryophyl!us cv. America) harvested at two different stage i.e. star or paint brush stage, sample of 1260 flowers was divided into three division, each division consists of 420 flowers as follows:­ Dipping flower stems in 0,2,4 mM silver thiosulfate (STS) for 30 min, then subdivided into five groups (84 flowers), flower stems were hold under 5 different conditions: lab-conditions, 0°C/15 days, 0°C/30 days, S°C/IS days and 5°C/30 days, 5 sub-groups were then divided into 7 groups of 12 flower each and treated as follows: 5% sucrose+ 150 ppm 8-hydroxyquinoline with or without 200, 400 ppm citric

acid, 5% sue with 200 or 400 ppm CA, 5% sue and distilled water. The results can be summarized as follows:- Harvesting carnation flower at paint brush stage, treated with 2 or 4 mM STS

as pulsing, lab-condition or 0°C/15 days and vase solution containing 5% sue +

!50 ppm 8-HQ + 200 ppm CA gave:-

* The lowest change in flower weight during storage.

*The maximum value for flower diameter, vase life.

* The maximum rate of daily absorption for vase solution.

* The greatest value for fresh weight change during vase life.

Dipping flowers, harvested at paint brush stage, in 2 mM STS and placing them in a solution containing 5% sucrose + !50 ppm 8-I-IQ + 200 prim CA gave the highest content of reducing sugars in petals and stems. Dipping the flowers, harvested at star stage in 2 mM STS for 30 minutes and keeping them under lab-conditions gave the highest anthocyanin content