TOPIC – HARVESTING STAGE

& GRADES OF GERBERA &

TUBE ROSE
 INTRODUCTION

 HARVESTING

Harvesting is the
process of detaching flowers from the plant
in a scientific way using sterilized
equipments.
 INTRODUCTION

 GRADING

Grading is the sorting (or) Categorisation of flowers

according to some specifications for Commercial purpose.
 Gerbera
Botanical Name - Gerbera jamesonii
Family - Compositae
 Tube Rose
Botanical Name - Polianthes tuberosa
Family - Amaryllidaceae
 GERBERA - HARVESTING

 Starts flowering in about 3 months after planting.

 Harvesting is done when outer 2-3 rows of

disc florets

are perpendicular to the stalk.

 The heel of the stalk should be cut about 2-3 cm

above the base and kept in fresh chlorinated
water.
 Flower stalk is soaked in Sodium hypochloride

solution (5-7 ml/lit of water) for 4-5 hours  improve

vase life.

 Flowers should be graded and sorted out in uniform

batches.

 The average yield under greenhouse is around 250-

270 flowers/m2/year.
 GRADING

 The Gerbera should be graded according to:

1. Stem length, graded in classes of 5 cm.

2. General Specification for cut flowers, no maximum

length

3. Flower diameter, (the diameter is measured along

the widest side of a flat flower.)

4. Maturity.
 Gerbera ---- stem length of 40 cm and 45 cm ---- packed
in interior boxes.

 Stem length < 40 cm ----may not be packed in interior

boxes. If Gerbera are supplied in water, these should
be bunched as follows:

A. Gerbera large bloomed: 10 stems per bunch.

B. Gerbera mini: 20 stems per bunch

Gerbera

GRADE STANDARD SPRAY

Extra Class 70-80 cm 60 cm

Class I 60-70 cm 50 cm

Class II 50-60 cm 40 cm
 TUBE ROSE

 In India, tuberoses are cultivated for production of flower

spikes

 loose flowers-- commercial scale for the domestic market.

 Flowering  starts 3 to 3 1/2 months (80 to 100 days) after

planting

 flowering time  July onwards August-September (peak

period of flowering).

 Tuberose flowers all the year round.

 HARVESTING

 Depending on the purpose, harvesting is

done by

A. Cutting the spikes from the base

B. Single flowers are harvested as they

open day by day.
 It is harvested by cutting the spikes from the base
when 1-2 pairs of flowers open on the spike.

 Spikes are harvested at bud- burst stage ( in

morning before sunrise or late in the evening)

 by clipping with a sharp knife or secateurs that

gives a clean cut.
 About 4-6 cm basal portion of the scape
has to be left to allow the growth of bulb.

 For loose flower  which grow at the

horizontal position on flowers stalk are
plucked early in the morning by 8.00 a.m.

 Crop duration: 2 1⁄2 to 3 years

POST HARVEST MANAGEMENT

 Vase life

 Immediately after harvest, putting of spikes at low temperature

(100C), for about 4 hours with the ends immersed in water,
(Prolonged life) to be sent to distant markets.

 By removing the unwanted leaves to minimise the

transpiration loss .
HOLDING SOLUTIONS

 A holding solution consisting of sucrose 2 % +

Al2 (SO4)3 300 ppm is best  increasing the post

harvest life
GRADING AND HANDLING

For cut flower ;

1. Spike length
2. Length of rachis
3. Number of flowers per spike
4. Weight of spikes and
5. Quality of individual florets.
6. Straight and strong stem of uniform length

7. uniform stage of development are preferred.

8. Flowers should be free from diseases and pests.

 The individual florets for loose flower purpose are graded according to
their size.
STORAGE

 The fresh flowers can be stored at 100C for 5 days.

Packing specification of cut flowers for export

Bunch 25 flowers

Stem Length 60 - 70 - 80 - 90 cm
(Double stick)

Packing In corrugated carton box

No. of Pieces 200 Pieces per box

Box size 95 x 40 x 20 cm.

Packaging weight 16-17 kg (aproximately)

References

 “Floriculture and Ornamental plants” by Youdh Chand Gupta

 “Production technology for Ornamental crops, Medicinal, Aromatic
plants & landscaping” by Abhinav Kumar, Arun Kumar & Ashok
Kumar.