STUDIES ON POST HARVEST HANDLING OF GERBERA, GLADIOLUS AND TUBEROSE

During storage and transportation generally low temperature of 2-4 °C and RH of 95-98% is beneficial for most of the cut flowers. However,a simple low cost arrangement for maintaining low temperature, during transport and storage for the small and marginal farmers is highly demanded in India.Except some scattered information, there is no detailed report on the physiological response of storage condition and the temperature of water used at retailer's level in these crops under Indian condition. Considering above constrains in view, for developing affordable technologies for these three cut flowers viz. Gerbera, Gladiolus and Tuberose, the present experiments were conducted at the laboratory of All India Coordinated Research Project ( AICRP) of Post Harvest Technology at Bidhan Chnadra Krishi viswavidyalaya ( BCKV),India. The results justify that petal colour is positively correlated with adequate supply of carbohydrates and water. Also storage for 24 hours at 10°C exhibited least floret wilting with better turgidity throughout the vase life.