Abstract:
Cut flowers’ longevity is an important determinant of their quality. Lack of
postharvest treatments during handling has limited the end-user vase life of cut
flowers and cut foliage in Sri Lanka. Pre- and postharvest silicon (Si) supplementation
has proven benefits to crop plants including ornamentals. Therefore, a commercial
silicon (Si) based formulation was assessed for its efficacy as a vase solution treatment
for a range of cut flower species viz., Gerbera jamesonii, Alstroemeria spp., Gladiolus
communis, Rosa spp., Chrysanthemum spp., Leucanthemum vulgare, and the cut leaves
of Livistonia chinensis and Rhapis excelsa. Cut stems were placed in vase solutions
containing Si concentrations of 0 (distilled water; control), 10, 25, 50, 100, 200, 250,
300 and 350 mg L-1. Experiments were arranged in completely randomized design with
three to seven replicates. The Si treatments, in the form of given commercial
formulation, did not significantly improve the vase life, relative fresh weight of stems
or the rate of vase solution uptake in those species compared to the control stems in
distilled water. Silicon itself or possibly the other compounds in the formulation
exerted phytotoxicity on cut flowers. The increased solution pH of>9.0 too was
undesirable for cut flower holding solutions. However, Si improved the chlorophyll
retention in cut L. chinensis leaves.
