Effect of different vase solutions on postharvest longevity of cut foliage <i>Ophiopogon</i> <i>japonicus</i>

• Main Authors: S. M. K. H. Wijayabandara, J. W. Damunupola, S. A. Krishnarajah, W. A. M. Daundasekera, D. S. A. Wijesundara
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka 2018-06-01
• Series: Ceylon Journal of Science
• Subjects: vase life; bap; cuso4; sucrose; ophiopogon; foliage
• Online Access: https://cjs.sljol.info/articles/7516
• ISSN: 2513-2814; 2513-230X

<em>Ophiopogon japonicus</em> (L.f.) Ker-Gawl (family Liliaceae) is an export-oriented foliage plant with attractive white-green strips. The vase life of this cut foliage ends when the leaves loose turgidity and/ or bright green colour. Thus, to enhance the vase life of <em>O. japonicus</em>, effect of 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mM CuSO₄.5H₂O, 10, 20, and 30 g/L sucrose and combination of sucrose with 0.5 mM CuSO₄.5H₂O as holding treatments, 20 g/L and 30 g/L sucrose solutions as 24 h pulsing treatments and 6-Benzylaminopurine 5, 10, 20 mg/L BAP were tested. Relative fresh weight of leaves, solution uptake rate and vase life were assessed. Vase solution bacterial enumerations were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of CuSO₄.5H₂O as a biocide. To investigate the function of BAP, amount of chlorophyll was quantified using leaf pigment extracts. The vase life of <em>O. japonicus</em> could be extended from 5.1 days to 12.5 days by giving BAP based vase solutions. Chlorophyll contents of leaves dipped in BAP solutions were significantly higher than the control (distilled water). CuSO₄ solutions did not show any significant antibacterial effects compared to the control. According to vase life data, the most effective vase solutions were CuSO₄.5H₂O (0.5 mM), sucrose 20 g/L with CuSO₄.5H₂O (0.5 mM) as holding treatments, sucrose 20 g/L and 30 g/L as pulsing treatments and BAP treatments (5, 10, 20 mg/L).