Performance of selected cut flower and cut foliage species as affected by silicon-based postharvest treatments

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.