Postharvest aspects of roses

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate respiratory activity, color changes and fresh weight variation of ‘Carola’ (red), ‘Avalanche’ (white) and ‘Avalanche Chá’ (tea) roses for seven days after harvest. Respiratory activity, coloration of petals and fresh weight loss were evaluated. Treatments were composed of three rose cultivars and seven days of evaluation, in a 3 x 7 factorial and a completely randomized design with four replicates of two flowers per plot. To determine the respiratory activity, in addition to the four replicates, an “experimental control” was used as a fifth replicate without roses. ‘Avalanche’ and ‘Avalanche Chá’ roses with petals of similar luminosity showed no browning during days after harvest, but are distinct in terms of chromaticity. ‘Carola’ rose has less shiny petals. On harvest day, the respiratory activity is elevated and reduces later until the fourth day, in which there is elevation of this parameter again coinciding with high fresh weight loss. During days after harvest, small changes in the color of petals were observed; however, the main changes were observed in respiratory activity and fresh weight loss.