Estádio de abertura floral e qualidade pós-colheita em armazenamento de copo-de-leite

Abstract

The cut flowers production constitutes an important activity, which marketing requires conservation techniques that contribute to maintain post-harvest floral quality. The objective was to evaluate different points of the opening of the spathe, at the harvest of calla lily stems and its effect on post-harvest conservation of two forms of storage, room temperature and cold chamber. The stems were harvested in the morning, using three different stages of opening of the spathe: closed, semi-opened (1/3), and full opened. The floral stems were standardized by size of pseudo-stem 40 cm and storage in a cold chamber at 4 °C and room temperature to 20 °C. The evaluations were conducted for 7 consecutive days, observing the visual quality of the floral stems, expansion of the spathe in length and width and the presence of pollen. It was observed that there was no qualitative difference between all stages of harvest when the stems were stored in a cold chamber, and the floral stems remained in the qualitative class A1, at room temperature the inflorescences harvested closed and semi-opened (1/3) showed better quality, remaining in the same quality class. Stems harvested closed and and semi-opened (1/3), stored in a cold chamber or at room temperature, expanded by the end of the assessment, without displaying necrosis and wilting of the spathe, however, did not complete the process of opening. We conclude that the floral stems harvested with a closed spathe and semi-opened (1/3) continue the process of opening of the spathe, but do not reach the completed opened, however have greater durability, regardless of the storage condition.