Effect of polyamine and ethylene inhibitors on post harvest physiology of cut stems in chrysanthemum cv. Reagan White

Experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of different concentration of polyamine (putrescine) and ethylene inhibitors (AOA and 1-MCP) on post-harvest physiology of chrysanthemum cv. Reagan White. The results obtained showed that the most effective treatments in prolonging the vase-life were AOA (5 and 10 mg/l). Both treatments showed vase-life upto 25.67 and 21.33 days, about double than that of control and decreased floret and leaf senescence but also improve the water uptake and membrane stability index. Percentages of leaf senescence were earlier in all treatments as compared to floret senescence. However, both the concentrations of AOA effectively retarded the yellowing of leaf up to 18 days. Percentage decrease in fresh weight was also minimum in AOA treated flower stem as compared to other treatments. There was less reduction in total soluble solids and reducing sugar in AOA treated flower stem than control. Aminooxyacetic acid and low concentration of 1-MCP lowered the ethylene production, but later was not effective in prolonging the vase-life.