Cultivation of important cut flowers using post harvest techniques to increase vase life and longevity of flowers.

1. CULTIVATION OF IMPORTANT
CUT FLOWERS
POST HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

2. CUT FLOWERS
 CUT FLOWERS may be defined as a flower or an
inflorescence containing more than one floral unit in
the opened or unopened state which is harvested
and marketed for ornamental purposes
 They are highly perishable commodities and highly
vulnerable to huge post harvesting loses
 Flowers should be harvested at their optimum stage
of maturity to obtain their maximum post harvest life
possible.
 Most of the cut flowers complete their life cycle in 2
distinct stages- 1st stage –flower-bud growth and
development of the flower to full opening 2nd stage-
maturation, senescence, and wilting

3. HARVESTING TECHNIQUES
 The stage of maturity at harvest affects the flowers
quality and longevity flowers are harvested
preferably done in evening . Flowers retain higher
amount of stored carbohydrates, if harvested is
done in the afternoon
 Harvesting of flowers should not be done at high
temperature and high light intensities
 Flowers can be harvested at bud stage or when
petals are fully opened

4. MODE OF HARVESTING
 Cut flowers should be cut with sharp tools and
placed immediately in water or in a floral
preservative solution
 The angle of cut must be slanted and smooth to
absorb water freely through the cut stems
 While cutting the stem should not be crushed which
may lead to blockage of xylem vessels

5. POST HARVEST HANDLING CHAIN OF
CUT FLOWERS
1. CONDITIONING
2. PRE COOLING
3. PULSING
4. IMPREGNATION
5. GRADING
6. BUNCHING
7. WRAPPING
8. PACKING
9. STORAGE

6. STEPS INVOLVED IN POST
HARVESTING THE CUT FLOWERS
CONDITIONING
PRE COOLING
PULSING
IMPREGNATION
GRADING
BUNCHING
WRAPPING
PACKING
STORAGE
TRANSPORT
SALE

7. CONDITIONING THE CUT FLOWERS
 It is the simple process where the cut flowers are
kept to stand loosely in a big container of water so
the air circulates around the stems.
 Main purpose is to restore turgidity of cut flowers
after they have suffered from water stress during
handling in the field, greenhouse or during storage
and transport.
 CHEMICALS FOR CONDITIONING
silver thiosulphate, AGNO3, sucrose, quaternary
ammonium compound, citric acid

8. PRE COOLING
 Packed or unpacked cut flowers have to pre cool
before storage or shipment . Time between harvest
and pre cooling should be as short as possible
 Forced cooling is most effective in removing the
field heat from flowers
 It is to bring down the temperature to 1degree
Celsius in a short period

9. PULSING
 The absorption of chemical solution containing
sugar and germicides through the lower cut portion
of flower stems is known as pulsing
 This should b performed under the temperature of
20-25 degree Celsius at light intensity 2000 lux
 CHEMICALS USED FOR PULSING
Sucrose, silver thiosulphate, physan, aminoxyacetic
acid, citric acid, silver nitrate, SADH

10. IMPREGNATION
 Impregnation of cut bases of cut flowers with high
concentration of silver nitrate, nickel chloride or
cobalt chloride for 10-15 minutes greatly improves
the longevity of flowers.
 Since silver travels only a short distance, in the
stem, bases of treated flowers should not be re cut
after treatment . Here the Ag++ or Ni++ or Co++
ions stay at the bases and protect from microbial
blockages.

11. GRADING
 Damaged or diseased blooms have to be discarded
as it contaminates the other flowers
 It is also done by the size shape, color, flower
quality recommended.
BUNCHING
 Flowers are bunched before storage and tying
should be firm but not too tight as it favors the
growth of mould and rapid cooling is retarded.
WRAPPING
the flowers are wrapped individually in thin polythene
sleeves/ thin polythene covers/ butter paper/ waxy
sheets etc

12. PACKING
 It is done to protect flowers from physical damages,
water loss and external conditions during transport.
 Packing can be done using flower cups / sleeves /
boxes / bulk bins / sea and air containers etc.
 Packing can be wet or dry
Wet packing – the flower stalks have a piece of moist
cotton at the cut end, the cut end of the flowers or
spike is kept immersed in the test tube containing
vase solution
Dry packing- flowers are as such stored in polythene
covers,

13. STORAGE
 Cold storage- it facilitates adjustments of flower
supply to market demands which in turn enables
accumulation of large quantities of flowers for
distant shipments and makes possible to prolong
the period of flower sale.
 Low temperature treatment during storage of cut
flowers reduces the entire metabolism in the tissue,
slows down the respiration, transpiration, ethylene
production and activities of fungi and bacteria

14. FLORAL PRESERVATIVES
 Use of floral preservatives at all the stages of flower
handling and marketing is known to improve flower
quality and longevity and better consumer
satisfaction.
 It usually contains water – to maintain turgidity,
sugar- as an energy source (sucrose or table sugar
), biocide- to inhibit growth of microorganisms (
silver nitrate, 8-hydroxyisoquinoline) , acidifying
agent – to reduce the ph to 3.0-3.5 (citric acid ),
growth regulators- cytokinin, auxin, gibberellins,
abscisic acid , aminooxyacetic acid