Post-production quality in potted gerbera cultivars fertigated with nutritive solutions.
The aim of the present work was to evaluate post production quality in four gerbera cultivars under two levels of fertigation.
The experiment was carried out from May to August, 2006 at FCA/UNESP - Botucatu, SP. It was installed in randomized
blocks and constituted of a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, being 4 gerbera cultivars (Cherry, Golden Yellow, Salmon Rose and
Orange) and 2 concentration nutritive solution, 0,92 and 1,76 dS m-1, during vegetative period and 1,07 e 2,04 dS m-1,
during the reproductive one. The experimental period was divided in two stages, the first correspondent to the production,
developed in greenhouse, and the second, correspondent the post-production, developed in laboratory. The present work is
focused mainly in the second stage. The solutions were applied until the plants reach the marketing, when then they were
taken for room with ambient temperature, in the DVP - Horticulture, for evaluation post-production, when the second
stage was begun. The evaluation was developed in the period of June to August of 2007, however, each vase stayed at room
for 21 days. The pots were disposed on benches, without additional treatment. Was evaluated the number of leaves, plant
diameter, in the first day post-production. Weekly, the inflorescence diameter was measured, and in the first and last day (0
and 21), the plant height. The cultivars had your quality maintained until 14 days, being this reduced drastically until the
21 days of storage. The commercialization of these cultivars, in the same conditions of the present experiment, is limited
to a short period of time.