Effects of pre- and postharvest calcium applications on the vase life of cut gerberas.

Gerasopoulos, D.; Chebli, B.; Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology Year: !!! "ol: #$ %ssue: )ef: ' ref. !!! &ages: #'('

Cut scapes of the gerbera culti*ars Ca+pitano, Dino, Sangria and ,estarossa -ere sprayed prehar*est and dipped or in.ected posthar*est -ith / 0control1, /.2, ./ or .23 CaCl4. "ase life and bending incidence -ere deter+ined during storage at 42 deg C. Scape calciu+ content -as deter+ined at the end of *ase life. Significant e5tension of *ase life and decrease in bending incidence -as obser*ed in inflorescences of Ca+pitano, Dino and ,estarossa gerberas in.ected -ith ./3 CaCl4, follo-ed by dipping in ./3 CaCl4 posthar*est co+pared -ith the control. Sangria gerbera scapes sprayed prehar*est -ith ./( .23 CaCl4 had the longest flo-er longe*ity and the lo-est bending incidence. Scape calciu+ concentration of Ca+pitano, Sangria and ,estarossa increased by 42/, 6/ and 6#/3, respecti*ely, co+pared -ith the control; calciu+ treat+ents resulted in a 6( to $(day increase in *ase life and a 6( to 2(day delay in bending incidence relati*e to the control; treat+ents -ith .23 CaCl4 considerably increased scape calciu+ content but did not contribute any additional increase to the *ase life of the flo-ers. 7lthough posthar*est dipping -ith ./3 CaCl4 had +oderate results co+pared -ith the other treat+ents it can be considered as a pro+ising posthar*est treat+ent to e5tend the *ase life of cut gerberas due to the ease of application.