Postharvest physiology of Curcuma alismatifolia flowers

doi:10.1016/j.postharvbio.2004.05.009

Postharvest Biology and Technology

Volume 34, Issue 2, November 2004, Pages 219-226

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2004.05.009 Get rights and content

Abstract

Flowering stems of Curcuma alismatifolia (Zingiberaceae) cv. Chiang Mai Pink contain small flower buds and open flowers, surrounded by large pink bracts. Vase life is limited by browning at the bract tips. This browning may relate to ethylene production as it was hastened by treatment with exogenous ethylene. Browning was apparently not due to lack of carbohydrates, as sugar treatment had no effect, and was also apparently not due to xylem plugging with microbes because antimicrobial compounds (8-hydroxyquinoline sulphate (HQS) and dichloroisocyanuric acid (DICA)) were ineffective.

The stems had a very short vase life after 3 days of dry storage. When stored in water, the optimum temperature for storage was 7 °C. After 3 or 6 days of storage at 7 °C the vase life was not different from that of unstored controls (about 18 days). However, if flowers were held at 5 °C for 3 days they had a vase life of only 2 days. It is concluded that C. alismatifolia is an attractive cut flower with a considerable length of vase life (usually more than 2 weeks, in freshly harvested stems). The flowers are chilling-sensitive, and cannot be stored dry but they can be stored in water at 7 °C for about 6 days. Since vase life is rather long, it is also possible to store the flowers in water for a few days at ambient temperatures.

Introduction

Curcuma alismatifolia, also known as the Siam tulip, is native to South-East Asia. It is used as a bedding plant in tropical countries, as a pot plant throughout the world, and as a cut flower. A flowering stem of this species is reminiscent, at least at some distance, to a group of flowering tulips.

Curcuma alismatifolia flowering stems have several apical bracts, which form cup-like structures (Fig. 1). Most basal bracts are green, but the more distal ones, more numerous than the green ones, are pink in native C. alismatifolia, and in some cultivars such as cv. Chiang Mai Pink. The coloured bracts mainly determine the attractiveness of the flowering stem. Both types of bracts bear small axillary flower buds. Open flowers are small and have little colour except the, mostly blue, flag petal (Fig. 1).

No data have apparently been reported on the postharvest physiology of cut flowering stems of C. alismatifolia. We investigated the optimum developmental stage for harvest, the water relations of the flower, the effect of exogenous ethylene, and the effect of various chemicals in the vase solution. We tested the hypotheses that bract browning is due (a) to adverse water relations and (b) to lack of sugars. In cut flowers whose life is limited by adverse water relations, the use of adequate antimicrobial compounds in the vase solution often delays the time to wilting (van Doorn, 1997). Cut Protea flowers often show precocious leaf blackening, which has been related to lack of carbohydrates; high light levels and sugar feeding delayed the blackening (Jones et al., 1995). We therefore investigated if sugar feeding had any effect on Curcurma bract browning.

Section snippets

Plant material

Curcuma alismatifolia Gagnep., cv. Chiang Mai Pink, were grown in the open next to the laboratory near Nakhon Pathom (Western Thailand). Bulbs were planted at the beginning of April and started to produce flowers about one month later. The soil was a loamy clay, fertilized with a recommended dose of NPK 15-15-15 prior to the experiment. The soil was watered to saturation once every 2 days, starting after planting of the bulbs and ending in June, when the rainy season began. During this season

Length of vase life; effect of harvest date

The coloured (pink) flower bracts determine the aesthetics and the length of vase life of flowering Cucurma alismatifolia stems. Browning at the distal bract margins limited the length of vase life. The vase life of freshly cut stems, as a function of harvest date, was studied for three consecutive years. It was about 20 days throughout the period of May to July. By early August the vase life dropped to about 17 days and by the end of August it further decreased to about 14 days.

Rate of respiration of flowers and pink bracts

We tested the

Discussion

The Zingiberaceae family contains several attractive cut flowers, such as red and pink ginger (Alpinia purpurata) and beehive ginger (Zingiber spectabile). The postharvest physiology of these flowers has not been investigated in much detail. The end of vase life of Alpinia purpurata is partially determined by browning in the middle of the bracts (Jaroenkit and Paull, 2003). Holding the flowering stems in a solution containing sucrose plus 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate increased their vase life (

Acknowledgements

The research was financially supported by the Thailand Research Fund (TRF).

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Effect of aminooxyacetic acid and sugars on the vase life of Dendrobium flowers
Postharvest Biol. Technol
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W.G. van Doorn et al.
Role of endogenous bacteria in vascular blockage of cut rose flowers
J. Plant Physiol
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T.K. Broschat et al.
Production and postharvest culture of red ginger in South Florida
Proc. Florida State Hortic. Soc
(1988)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

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Postharvest Biology and Technology

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Plant material

Length of vase life; effect of harvest date

Rate of respiration of flowers and pink bracts

Discussion

Acknowledgements

References (6)

Effect of aminooxyacetic acid and sugars on the vase life of Dendrobium flowers

Postharvest Biol. Technol

Role of endogenous bacteria in vascular blockage of cut rose flowers

J. Plant Physiol

Production and postharvest culture of red ginger in South Florida

Proc. Florida State Hortic. Soc

Cited by (56)

6-Benzylaminopurine as a potential fresh-keeping agent for Curcuma alismatifolia cut flowers: Physiological and transcriptome analysis

Postharvest physiology and handling of cut Spartium junceum inflorescences

Water relations in post-harvested torch ginger affected by harvest point and carnauba wax

Flowering, morphological observations and FT expression of Curcuma kwangsiensis var nanlingensis bud in development process

Ornamental plants associated with Buddhist figures in China

Review of recent advances in post-harvest techniques for tropical cut flowers and future prospects: Heliconia as a case-study