Effect of Maturity on Physiological Change and Postharvest Quality of Cut Gerbera

Abstract

利用'Furore'和'Ornella'非洲菊切花於不同成熟度採收，調查其呼吸率、乙烯釋放量、鮮重變化、吸水性、瓶插壽命及開花品質。結果顯示，採收成熟度為兩性小花雄蕊3輪以上之高成熟度切花，具有較高的呼吸率及乙烯釋收量，乙烯釋放量上升的情形亦最早發生。高成熟度切花之瓣澱粉含量較高，花朵鮮重、瓶插期間吸水量及花朵直徑較大。且莖部組織中皮層細胞較圓整，導管較大、數目也較多，但過高的採收成熟度，會增加'Ornella'品種的花莖彎曲度，及使'Furore'品種舌瓣花早藍化，因而瓶插壽命較短。蕾期採收之切花雖呼吸率及乙烯釋放量較低、乙烯上升情形發生較慢等優點，但花朵開放直徑較小、花色表現較差，觀賞品質不佳。因此，建議國內鮮銷非洲菊切花之商業採收成熟度為：舌瓣花完全展開但兩性小花尚未開放至兩小花雄蕊1~2輪成熟採收，可有花朵直徑、瓶插壽命及花色表現等觀賞品質較佳之結果。Two cultivars of Gerbera jamesonii Bolus ‘Furore' and ‘Ornella' were tested in this study to investigate the physiological change and vase life of gerbera cut flowers at different maturity stages. The highest respiration rate was found on non-anthesis monoclinous dicyclid florets after flowers harvested. The highest ethylene production was found receptacle when flowers were cut and upper part stem in 6 days vase life. Cut flowers harvested at maturity with third circle stamens of monoclinous dicyclic florets presented the highest respiration rate, the highest ethylene production, and increased the earliest ethylene production. Highly maturity cut flowers contained higher starch content on petal, gained more flower fresh weight, and larger flower diameter and water uptake than those of less mature cut flowers after flowers harvested. In stem tissues, cortex cells were round and complete. The number and size of vessels showed bigger diameter than that of younger tissues. However, over maturity cut flowers were easily bend on ‘Ornella' gerbera and showed easily bluish and decrease vase life on ‘Furore' gerbera flowers. Gerbera cut flowers harvested on bud stage had the advantage of the low respiration rate, low ethylene production, and slower ethylene increased trend, however, flower diameter presented smaller when flower bloomed, florets was fade cause poor flower quality. The good gerbera flower performance showed the requirement with ray floret fully open, disk floret were not open yet, and considered the maturity of one or two of the stamens of monoclinous dicyclic florets could result flower diameter, vase life, and flower color performed well