Deleterious Effects of Sucrose on Cut Rose in Postharvest Treatment

Recently, the flower business has expanded. Keeping cut flowers longer becomes a hot research subject. As it is known that cut flowers' lifetime is related to carbohydrates, it is critical to control the sugars in cut flowers after harvest. Research results indicate the deleterious effects of sugars during postharvest treatment. By using greenhouse roses (cv. Mercedes) as samples, after taking weight records of leaves and petals, different solutions of Abscisic Acid(ABA), Al₂(SO₄)₃·16 H₂O and sucrose were prepared for the experiments. From these experiments, it is clear that sugars supply the energy to cut flowers and give them a longer vase life. But it is very important to control properly the amount of sugars added according to different varieties and different growing conditions in order to reach the ideal situation. If too much sugar was added, necrotic spots and black necks would develop and the quality of the flowers would be lower. It is also obvious to see that ABA functions well in the closure of the leaf stomata. To use ABA correctly in cut flower treatment is essential. Since cut flower has its limited lifetime, any treatment extending life is of great benefit.