S. Muthu Kumar and V. Ponnuswami
Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore - 641 003, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract: A lab experiment was conducted on a Hybrid Tea rose variety "First Red" to study the effect of 1-Methyl Cyclo Propene on post harvest quality of cut rose flowers. Pretreatment of flower stem with 1-Methyl Cyclo Propene was carried out in airtight chamber. The experiment was laid with 0.18 % of 1-MCP / m
3 for 6 hours and 0.18 % of 1-MCP / 2m
3 for 6 hours along with control. The treatment 0.18 % of 1-MCP / m
3 for 6 hours recorded the lowest mean values for physiological loss in weight (11.43 per cent), loss of membrane integrity (31.63 per cent), transpirational loss of water (5.23 g stalk
-1) and peroxidase activity (0.031 units g
-1 of fresh weight) during the entire vase life period while the control recorded the highest mean values for physiological loss in weight (25.36 per cent), loss of membrane integrity (53.82 per cent), transpirational loss of water (8.44 g stalk
-1) and peroxidase activity (0.057 units g
-1 of fresh weight). Besides, the cut rose flowers treated with 0.18 % of 1-MCP/ m
3 for 6 hours had highest relative water content of 78.16 per cent and water uptake of 6.80 g stalk
-1. Flowers exposed to 0.18 % of 1-MCP/ m
3 for 6 hours maintained higher mean values for appearance (score 4 - very good) and stem strength (82.40
o angle) during the entire course of study. The cut rose flowers exposed to 0.18 % of 1-MCP/ m
3 for 6 hours had significantly enhanced the vase life and recorded the longest vase life of 4.3 days whereas the control recorded the shortest vase life of 2.6 days.