Quality maintenance of Lily post-harvest.
Although lilies present short longevity and small
buds do not open when they are harvested early, they
are much used as cut flower. In the period after the
harvest the biggest problem is foliage yellowing. The
aim of this work was to develop a pulsing to homogenize
the bud opening and to increase the longevity of the
flowers, as well as delaying the yellowing of leaves.
After the physical characterization of the flower stem
and during the process of senescence, the conclusion is
that cut lily quality parameters are brightness, the loss
of flower turgidity (observed through inclination of the
stem and petals rolling) and the yellowing foliage. Tests
with immersion for 24 hours in solutions with sucrose (0,
2, 4, 8%) and citric acid (200mg.L-1) had demonstrated
that 4% sucrose and 200 mg.L-1 citric acid were the best
treatment, even though leaves still presented yellowing
signals. The presence of 4 % of sucrose in the pulsing
solution favored the homogenization of bud opening and
increased the period of commercial durability of the cut
lily. To prevent yellowing foliage 20, 50, 100 mg.L-1 of
giberelic acid associated to 4% of sucrose and 200 mg.L-1
citric acid were tested. For the good maintenance of Lily
post-harvest quality it is necessary to dip the basis of
stems in solution of 4% sucrose, 200 mg.L-1 citric acid
for 24 hours and to improve the quality of leaves 50
mg.L-1 giberelic acid can be added to this solution.