Full Length Research Paper

Quality management of cut carnation 'Tempo' with 1-MCP

Davood Hashem Abadi¹*, Behzad Kaviani¹, Shahram Sedaghat Hoor¹, Ali Mohammadi Torkashvand¹ and Roghayeh Zarei²

¹Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Rasht Branch, Rasht, Iran.

²Scientific Board of Payam-e-Noor, University of Mahallat, Iran

*Corresponding author. E-mail: davoodhashemabadi@yahoo.com.

Tel: 00989111380551 or 00981313242885. Fax: 00981313462255.

Accepted 17 August, 2009

   Abstract

Water relation and chlorophyll content are two important factors on the postharvest quality of cut flowers. 1-MCP (1–methylcyclopropene), as a gaseous inhibitor of ethylene action, significantly delayed the wilting of cut carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.). The effects of 1-MCP depends on concentration, time duration and temperature. In this study, the effect of different 1-MCP concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 nl l^-1) and  time durations (3, 6 and 9 h) on the vaselife, water uptake, loss of fresh weight and chlorophyll index of cut carnation 'Tempo' which is an ethylene-sensitive flower, were evaluated. The effects of 1-MCP concentrations and interaction between 1-MCP concentration and time duration on the vaselife, water uptake, loss of chlorophyll index and loss of fresh weight, were significant at 1% levels of probability. Also the effect of time duration on the loss of chlorophyll index and loss of fresh weight was significant at 5% and on the water uptake was significant at 1% of probability. Treatment with 60 nl l^-1 1-MCP for 3 h with 16.47 days vaselife, 2.57 ml g^-1 fresh weight, 2.41 ml g^-1 water uptake and 2.667 loss of chlorophyll index was better than other treatments.

Key words: Dianthus caryophyllus L., 1-methylcyclopropene, vaselife, water uptake, cut flower.