Plant Growth Regulator Induced Physiological and Anatomical Modulations Regulating Post Harvest Longevity in Lilium
摘要
The post-harvest losses of Lilium due to improper management underscores the need for techniques to maintain floral freshness. This study was aimed to evaluate the effect of plant growth regulators (PGRs) (100 mg/L GA₃, 50 mg/L BA, GA₃ + BA) supplemented with sucrose (10% and 2%) applied by spraying and pulsing, followed by packaging and storage (0, 5, 10, 15 days) on the post-harvest life of Lilium. The freshly harvested stems pulsed with 100 mg/L GA3 showed significantly improved post-harvest quality, with delayed color break (9.80 days), flower opening (12.57 days), tepal and anther abscission (18.50 days), leaf yellowing (16.44 days) and senescence (20.60 days) compared to stems without either pulsing or spraying (control). Physio-biochemical attributes viz. membrane stability (97.50%), relative water content (89.50%), total soluble sugars (87.29 mgg−1 FW) and total soluble proteins (119.65 mgg−1 FW) within the tepals improved, along with minimal xylem blockage and better structural integrity. A comparable improvement was observed in stems pulsed with 100 mg/L GA3 + 50 mg/L BA when stored for a maximum of 5 days. However, storage beyond 5 days accelerated senescence and reduced flower quality. Cluster analysis revealed that stems pulsed with 100 mg/L GA₃ could be stored up to 10 days without any adverse effect on quality, extending the post-harvest life of to 27.60 days compared to 13.20 days in untreated stems. Therefore, pulsing with 100 mg/L GA₃, followed by packaging and storage for up to 10 days, could be suggested to enhance post-harvest life, that could provide a window for market regulation during its glut periods.