J. Expt. Biosci.

4(2):23-26, July 2013 ISSN 2223-9626 (Online), ISSN 2077-3358 (Print)

VASE LIFE ANALYSIS OF YELLOW GLADIOLUS USING DIFFERENT

VASE SOLUTIONS

H. Mehraj1, M. Mahasen1, T. Taufique, I.H. Shiam1 and A.F.M. Jamal Uddin1*

*Corresponding author; Email: jamal4@yahoo.com

Abstract

A postharvest experiment was conducted to maximize the vase life of yellow colored gladiolus using
different vase solution in department of horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University. Vase
solutions were; tap water (control, C0); distilled water (C1); 100-ppm sucrose solution (C2); 100-ppm
lemon juice solution (C3) and 100-ppm sucrose + lemon juice solution (C4). Vase solution 100-ppm of
sucrose + lemon juice solution (C4) provided maximum days taken for floret senescence (10.2 days),
maximum number of floret opened during floret senescence (9.3 florets), highest longevity (18.3 days)
with minimum fresh weight loss (28.2%) whereas minimum days required for floret senescence (4.5days)
in C3, minimum number of floret opened during floret senescence (3.9 florets) in C0. Lowest longevity
(12.7days) found in C3 and maximum fresh weight loss (39.7%) in C0. 100-ppm sucrose + lemon juice
solution was found best to extend the vase life of yellow gladiolus.

Key words: Gladiolus, sugar and lemon juice, and flower longevity

Introduction

Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) is one of the renowned cut flower in the world (Bai et. al., 2009) as well as in
Bangladesh also. Today, main challenge for florists is to extend the longevity of cut flowers in vase. Apart from
external quality of flower, vase life of cut flower is one the most important factors for consumers. Typical vase life of
individual florets is just 4 to 6 days and senescent florets remain at the bottom of the spikes after opening of the upper
florets (Yamada et. al., 2003). It is well documented that one of the main causes for inferior cut flowers quality is the
blockage of xylem vessels by microorganisms that accumulate in vase solution or in vessels themselves. When the
vessels of stems blocked, continuing water uptake and transpiration by leaves of cut flowers results in net loss of water
of flower and stem tissue (Hassan, 2005). It is reported that there was a positive correlation between the number of
bacteria and water conductivity in the stem of cut flower (Van Doorn et. al., 1989). The vase life of cut flowers
increased by addition of various antimicrobial compounds (Macnish et. al., 2008), to reduction of bacterial population
in vase water. It is well known that sucrose improves vase life of many flower species including gladiolus (Marousky,
1969; Mayak et. al., 1973). Sucrose serves the food for cut flowers but in vase, formation of various microbial
organisms reduces the longevity of cut flowers. Various chemicals used for the improvement of longevity of cut
flowers as commercial purpose. However, the home user of Bangladesh, who use cut flower for home decoration, they
normally use tap water in flower vase. Keeping these points in view, the study was conducted to search the better and
easy to made vase solution in case of gladiolus for the home users.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted at the Department of Horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka,
Bangladesh during the month of January 2013.Yellow colored uniform gladioli sticks were collected from
Horticultural Farm, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Spike of gladioli were selected by
counting the equal number of florets and the gladioli sticks were trimmed in equal length. Slanting cut was made to
provide more solution accumulated area. The study was conducted by following Completely Randomized Block
Design (CRD) with three replications. Five treatments were exerted in experiment considering availability and easily
usable in flower vase of ones house (home user) and the treatments were, tap water (Control, C 0); distilled water (C1);
100-ppm sucrose solution (C2); 100-ppm lemon juice solution (C3) and 100-ppm sucrose + lemon juice solution (C 4).
100-ppm solution of sucrose and lemon juice was prepared by admixing 100mg of sucrose and lemon juice (extracted

1
Department of Horticulture, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh.

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Mehraj et al.

from lemon) in one litre water respectively, and then 200ml was received. 100-ppm of sucrose + lemon juice solution
was prepared by admixing 50mg sucrose and 50ml of lemon juice (extracted from lemon) in one litre water, and then
200ml solution was received. Flowers were kept in room temperature during the period of experiment and the vase
solutions were not changed. Flowers on vase solutions were examined as and when necessary and continued up to the
end of vase life of flower.
Flower head diameter was measured by exploiting millimeter scale with every three days interval. Fresh weight of cut
gladioli was measured before treating. Different days after treating weight of gladioli were measured and percentages
weight losses were calculated. Percentages of floret opening were measured by counting the number of floret open at
different days after treating. Flower longevity was allowed during the upper floret opening and counting the days.
Collected data were statistically analyzed using MSTAT-C. Mean was calculated and analysis of variance for each of
treatment was represented by F-test (Variance Ratio). Differences between treatments were evaluated by Least
Significance Difference Test (LSD) at 5% level of significance (Gomez and Gomez, 1984).

Result and Discussion

Spike diameter: Spike diameters of gladioli were significantly decreasing with days after treating due to differences
in pulsing treatments. From experiment it was revealed that C 4 (100-ppm sucrose + lemon juice solution) provided the
best result in terms of spike diameter (8.6 mm) at 12th days after treating, on the other hand, C3 (100-ppm lemon juice
solution) offered lowest (8.2 mm) at 12th days after treating (Fig. 1.a).
9.0
a.
Spike diameter (mm).

8.5

C0 C1 C2 C3 C4
8.0
0 3 6 9 12
Days after treating

40.0
b.
Fresh weight loss (%).

30.0

20.0

10.0
C0 C1 C2 C3 C4
0.0
0 3 6 9 12
Days after treating

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J. Expt. Biosci. 4(2):23-26, July 2013 ISSN 2223-9626 (Online), ISSN 2077-3358 (Print)

100.0
C0 C1 C2 C3 C4

Floret opening (%).

80.0
c.
60.0

40.0

20.0

0.0
0 3 6 9 12
Days after treating
Fig.1. Effect of different solution at different days after reating on a. spike
diameter (mm) b. fresh weight loss (%) c. floret opening (%)

Losses of fresh weight: Percent fresh weight loss varied significantly among the treatments at 12 th days after treating
with different treatments. Maximum (39.7%) fresh weight loss was found from C 0 whereas minimum (28.2%) was
observed from C4 at 12th days after treating (Fig. 1.b). Flower quality in vase reduced their quality rapidly due to the
fresh weight loss. On the other hand, cut flower stems treated with tap water and lemon juice solution significantly lost
their fresh weight during the 12th days after treating. Among all the treatments; C4 afforded minimum fresh weight loss
(%), this might be due to maximum uptake of water with reserve food from C 4 (100-ppm sucrose + lemon juice). C4
treatment contain lemon juice which has the citric acid (Penniston et. al., 2008) and this citric acid in vase solution act
as a germicide and sucrose act as reserved food.
Percent of floret opening: Floret opening was significantly varied among the treatments at 12th days after treating.
However, floret opening percentage was highest in C 4 treatment (91.7%) and minimum floret opening percentage was
exposed by C0 (50.0%) at 12th days after treating (Fig. 1.c). Best treatment that maintained typical floret opening was
treated with sucrose + lemon juice solution (C4).
Days to basal floret senescence: Days required for the basal floret senescence was varied significantly at 12 th days
after treating among the treatments (Table 2). Basal floret senescence occurred 10.2 days after treating from 100-ppm
sucrose + lemon juice solution (C4) whereas 4.5 days from 100-ppm lemon juice solution (C3).

Table 1. Assessment of vase life of cut gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus Hort.) to different solution in terms of various
attributes
12 days after treating
Treatments
Spike Diameter (mm) Fresh Weight Loss (%) Floret Opening (%)
C0 8.3 c 39.7 a 50.0 e
C1 8.5 b 36.6 c 58.0 d
C2 8.3 c 35.4 d 66.7 c
C3 8.2 d 39.4 b 75.0 b
C4 8.6 a 28.2 e 91.7 a
CV% 0.11 0.01 0.01
LSD(0.05) 0.02 0.01 0.01
Y
In a column means having similar letter (s) are statistically identical and those having dissimilar letter (s) differ
significantly as per 0.05 level of probability

No of floret opened during basal floret senescence: At the period of basal floret senescence, the number of floret
opening was exposed significant variation (Table 2). Maximum number of floret (9.3 florets) was opened during basal
floret senescence in C4 (100-ppm sucrose + lemon juice solution) treatment while least (3.9 florets) was in C 0.

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Mehraj et al.

Table 2: Assessment of vase life of cut gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus Hort.) to different solution in terms of various
attributes

Days taken for basal floret No of floret open during

Treatments Flower longevity (Days)
scenescense basal floret scenescense

C0 5.7 d 3.9 e 15.3 d

C1 6.0 c 4.8 c 15.7 c
C2 8.5 b 7.3 b 16.3 b
C3 4.5 e 4.5 d 12.7 e
C4 10.2 a 9.3 a 18.3 a
CV% 0.01 0.01 0.01
LSD (0.05) 0.01 0.01 0.01
Y
In a column means having similar letter (s) are statistically identical and those having dissimilar letter (s) differ
significantly as per 0.05 level of probability

Flower longevity: Significant variation was found on flower longevity among treatments (Table 2). Cut gladioli were
stayed maximum 18.3 days in flower vase when treated with 100-ppm sucrose + lemon juice solution (C 4) whereas
minimum 12.7 days in C3 (100-ppm lemon juice solution). This might be due to a synergistic effect, which improves
the water balance and osmotic potential since citric acid inhibits the microbial growth, sucrose was observed to reduce
moisture stress in cut flowers by affecting stomatal closure, preventing transpiration and water loss (Aarts, 1957).
Gowda and Gowda (1990) found longest vase life (18.3 days) for cut gladioli treating with 1.0 M alluminium
sulphate; also 3% sucrose (17.0 days) and 2% sucrose (15.3 days) that justify the current findings.

It may be concluded that the people who wants to use gladioli on their house decoration for the fulfillment of basic
aesthetic needs they can use 100-ppm of sugar + lemon juice solution on their flower vase which increase vase life of
cut gladioli.

References

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