Flowering stem storage of Heliconia psittacorumL. f. cv. Trópica

• Published in: Postharvest biology and technology Vol. 112; pp. 159 - 169
• Main Authors: Bañuelos-Hernández, K.P., García-Nava, J.R., Leyva-Ovalle, O.R., Peña-Valdivia, C.B., Ybarra-Moncada, M.C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.02.2016
• Subjects: Light; Quality; Relative humidity; Temperature; Tropical ornamental; Relative humidity; Tropical ornamental; Temperature; Quality; Light
• ISSN: 0925-5214; 1873-2356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2015.10.006

•Combinations of temperature, relative humidity and light were tested for storage.•The best storage conditions were 12–16°C with relative humidity between 60 and 90%.•The longest vase life was using 15°C and 63% relative humidity (16.6 days).•H. psittacorumL. f. cv. Trópica did not show a significant ethylene release. Heliconia psittacorum L. f. is a tropical flower species with high economic potential due to its diversity of shapes, colours and its long vase life. However, storage conditions (temperature and relative humidity; RH) for flower stems during transport is a particular issue to each cultivar determining duration of vase life. Flowering stems were obtained from a commercial plantation in Campo Grande, Iztaczoquitlán, Veracruz, Mexico. The variables evaluated over a 10 day storage period were: fresh weight, colour using the CIE model (L*, a*, b*), peroxidase activity (POX), respiratory intensity and ethylene. The temperature was in the range of 12–26°C, RH between 37 and 90% and light between 0 and 150μmolm−2s−1. A repeated measures experimental design for non-destructive variables was used and a completely randomized design for destructive variables. The conditions which best preserved the quality characteristics during the stem storage (α=0.05) were: 15°C, 63% RH and 0μmolm−2s−1; 16°C, 60% RH and 150μmolm−2s−1 and 12°C, 90% RH and 26μmolm−2s−1. The average vase life (VL) was 6.6 days with 15°C, 63% RH and 0μmolm−2s−1 and total postharvest longevity (TPL) was 16.6 days. In contrast the control treatment had a VL of 2.5 days and a TPL of 12.5 days (24±2°C, 60±5% RH and 10μmolm−2s−1). The presence of leaves increased the respiration, but there was no significant release of ethylene, hence, storage treatments did not affect the ethylene production.