Title: Greenhouse Dehumidification Extends Postharvest Longevity of Cut Roses in Winter Season
Abstract: A strong inverse relationship between the preharvest relative air humidity (RH) and the postharvest longevity of cut roses has been observed previously. High RH levels common in greenhouses during winter reduce the vase life of cut roses, through the alteration of morphological and physiological characteristics. In this study, we investigated the use of a dehumidification system to reduce greenhouse RH levels and improve the postharvest longevity of cut roses. Longevity varied between seasons, with the longest vase life observed in spring (14.7 d), and shortest vase life in winter (9.1 d). Daily minimum RH (r = -0.80, p < 0.01) most strongly correlated with reduced vase life of cut flowers. Dehumidification effectively reduced greenhouse RH levels in winter and cut roses grown under the dehumidification environment showed a longer average vase life as well as higher fresh weight and thicker stem diameter compared to flowers grown under normal conditions (control). Stomata from cut roses grown in the dehumidification environment also had smaller, more responsive stomata, which likely contributed to longer vase life via effective regulation of transpiration. The current study demonstrates that dehumidification is an effective method for improving postharvest longevity and quality of cut roses in greenhouse production.
Publication Year: 2017
Publication Date: 2017-12-31
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 9
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