Effects of simulated in-transit vibration on the vase life and post-harvest characteristics of cut rose flowers

We examined whether exposure to vibration during transport affects the quality of cut roses. Using a laboratory vibration simulator, in-transit vibration of 7.5 or 10 Hz was applied to two cut rose cultivars (‘Polar Star’ and ‘Revival’) at three positions within a compartmented storage bin (top, middle, and bottom) for 10 or 15 min. Post-harvest characteristics of the cut flowers were measured in a test room. We observed that in both cultivars, vibration significantly reduced vase life (VL), decreased relative fresh weight (RFW), and increased flower opening rate (FOR). No significant differences were observed between vibration frequencies, positions, or durations in ‘Polar Star’ with respect to VL. Furthermore, we applied a simulated vibration of 10 Hz to three cut rose cultivars (‘Polar Star’, ‘Magic Red’, and ‘Full House’). We observed that ‘Polar Star’ was more sensitive to vibration damage than the other two cultivars. Pulse treatments coupled with the exogenous application of silver thiosulfate (STS), an ethylene action inhibitor, were applied to ‘Polar Star’ before and after vibration. Independent of the concentration used and time of application, STS significantly decreased FOR, water uptake, water loss, and increased RFW. However, only 1 mM STS applied before vibration extended VL compared to non-vibrated control VL. Thus, vibration during transport could shorten the VL of cut rose flowers. The amount of vibration damage in cut rose flowers is cultivar dependent. Taken together, our data suggest that ethylene underlies the negative impact of vibration on post-harvest characteristics of cut rose flowers. Application of ethylene action inhibitors before transit could reduce or prevent the vibration effects on the post-harvest quality of sensitive cut rose cultivars.