scholarly journals The effects of supplemental nitrogen and calcium on the quality and postharvest life of cut gerbera

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 365-373
Author(s):  
Marília Milani ◽  
Elisandra Maria Pradella ◽  
Willian Heintze ◽  
Gilmar Schafer ◽  
Renar João Bender

Abstract The objective of the present work was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen (N) and calcium (Ca), complementary to the complete fertilization established, on production, quality and postharvest shelf life of floral stems of gerbera as cut flower harvested 117 days after transplant. The experiment consisted of a combination of three doses of N.L−1 substrate (0.07 g, 0.15 g and 0.2 g) and three doses of Ca.L−1 substrate (0.02 g; 0.03 g and 0.04 g) and was conducted in a greenhouse in a bifactorial arrangement with an additional control treatment. Control plants were not supplemented with N or Ca. Both elements were diluted in water and applied manually every 15 days. Highest flower yields were obtained with application 0.2 g de N.L−1 substrate and 0.04 g Ca.L−1 substrate. Stem length, stem diameter, flower diameter, and longevity, relative fresh weight and solution uptake were highest in gerbera fertilized with 0.2 g de N.L−1 substrate and 0.04 g Ca.L−1 substrate. Applying every 15 days, 0.2 g of N.L−1 substrate and 0.04 g of Ca.L−1 substrate resulted in higher yields, better quality and postharvest shelf life of floral stems of gerbera as cut flower harvested 117 days after transplant.

HortScience ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (9) ◽  
pp. 1394-1398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Saeedi ◽  
Nematollah Etemadi ◽  
Ali Nikbakht ◽  
Amir H. Khoshgoftarmanesh ◽  
Mohammad R. Sabzalian

Lisianthus is one of the most important specialty cut flowers in the world. Various greenhouse conditions and inadequate evapotranspiration can disturb the transport of calcium and impair its uptake by plants. This study aimed to compare the effects of calcium amino acid chelates and calcium chloride (CaCl2) on flower production, quality, and postharvest life of cut ‘Cinderella Lime’ lisianthus. Therefore, nutrient solutions containing calcium amino acid chelates (1%) were prepared using calcium and equal concentrations of lysine, threonine, or methionine. The control treatment was a solution without amino acids and calcium. Calcium concentrations of flowering stems were significantly higher in plants treated with calcium amino acid chelates than those treated with amino acids or the control treatment. Treatment with calcium methionine chelate led to significantly higher flower numbers compared with treatment with free amino acids and the control treatment. Moreover, calcium amino acid chelates effectively improved the fresh and dry mass of the flowering stems in comparison with the control plants. In summary, among all calcium sources, calcium lysine chelate could most effectively enhance the postharvest life of lisianthus cut flowers.


HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 629g-630
Author(s):  
Joseph DeFrank ◽  
Tadashi Higaki ◽  
Joanne Imamura

Yield components of 4 anthurium cultivars over a 2 year harvest period were determined. The varieties are `Ozaki' (red color-OZ), `Nitta' (orange-NT), `Kozohara' (dark red-KZ) and `Marian Seefurth' (pink-MS). The herbicide treatments are: diuron (1.1 kg ai/ha) every 3 months (DN); granular formulation of oxyfluorfen (2%) and oryzalin (1%) (3.4 kg ai/ha) in an alternating 3 month cycle with diuron (1.1 kg ai/ha) (OO). Black polypropylene mulch (PM) is the non-chemical control treatment. Yield components include: total cut flower yield, mean stem length and mean flower size (spathe width × length). Total flower yield was not significantly affected by weed control treatments. Yield ranking was: MS>KZ=NT>OZ. A significant interaction was recorded for stem length and flower size. OZ stem length was unaffected by weed control treatments while the others showed variations dependent on treatments. KZ and OZ flower size was not affected by weed control treatments, however, herbicide treatments did reduce flower size of MS and NT. Weed control ranking was: PM=00.>DI.


HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 508b-508
Author(s):  
Pamela M. Lewis ◽  
Alan M. Armitage ◽  
Jim M. Garner

The effect of vernalization method and duration on off-season cut flower production of Lysimachia clethroides Duby was examined. Rhizomes harvested in October were cooled for 0, 4, 6, 8, 10 or 12 weeks at 4 ± 1 °C in crates with unmilled sphagnum peat or in 3.75-L pots with potting media prior to forcing in a warm greenhouse. After 6 or more weeks of cooling, shoots emerged from crate-cooled rhizomes in higher percentages than from pot-cooled rhizomes. However, only the duration of cooling, not the method, affected the rate of shoot emergence, visible bud formation and anthesis of the first bud in the raceme. As cooling increased from 0 to 12 weeks, the greenhouse days required for shoot emergence, visible bud formation and anthesis decreased linearly. The number of flowering flushes and flowering stems varied quadratically with cooling duration, and the highest yields occurred when rhizomes received between 4 and 10 weeks of cooling. As the number of successive flowering flushes increased, the stem length increased linearly while the stem diameter decreased linearly. High numbers of flowers were produced rapidly after 10 weeks of cooling.


Foods ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 478
Author(s):  
Stefania Toscano ◽  
Valeria Rizzo ◽  
Fabio Licciardello ◽  
Daniela Romano ◽  
Giuseppe Muratore

The aim of the study was to assess, through a comparative shelf-life test, the suitability of two packaging materials, namely macro-perforated polypropylene (PP MA) and micro-perforated coextruded polypropylene (PP C), for the quality preservation of green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. ‘Vegalim’). Quality of spears was evaluated during 30 days at refrigerated storage by monitoring chemical, physical, and enzymatic parameters as well as sensory descriptors. PP C kept headspace composition close to suggested values for fresh green asparagus. Total color difference increased during the storage and it was highly correlated with chlorophyll-a and carotenoids, however, sensory color perception did not change significantly until 22 days of storage. PP C maintained ascorbic acid concentrations close to the initial levels, limited total phenolic compound loss to 24% (45% in PP MA), determined an increase of 72% in fiber content and small changes in lignin value; enzymatic changes were significantly inhibited. Significant sensorial differences were detected after 22 days of storage, with PP C performing better than PP MA. PP C film was confirmed as the best choice, limiting weight loss and maintaining a fresh-like appearance during 30 days of storage, thus allowing an extension in postharvest life.


2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 45-52
Author(s):  
Emina Mladenović ◽  
Sandra Cvejić ◽  
Siniša Jocić ◽  
Nemanja Ćuk ◽  
Jelena Čukanović ◽  
...  

The aim of this research was to determine the optimum planting density for the production of high-quality cut flowers with desirable characteristics. 25 single-stem ornamental sunflower genotypes were planted at different densities and evaluated for flowering time, flower diameter, and stem circumference and length over a two-year production cycle. Three spacing patterns were used: 25 × 25 cm, 30 × 30 cm, and 70 × 30 cm, which led to the planting densities of 160 000, 90 000, and 60 000 plants/ha, respectively. The plant density had the most important effect on the stem circumference, flower diameter, and stem length (total variation 52, 60, and 58%, AMMI analysis) and a small effect on the flowering time (total variation 1%, AMMI analysis). Based on environment-focused scaling, all high-density environments could be suitable for the production of single-stem sunflower genotypes. The results demonstrated the adaptation of several sunflower genotypes G9, G11, G12, G21, and G22 as the most suitable based on the optimum flower diameter, stem circumference, and stem length. These results may lead to progress in growing ornamental sunflowers as a cut flower.


AGROFOR ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S.F. EL-SAYED ◽  
A.A. GAHRIB ◽  
Rasha R. EID

This investigation was carried out during the two summer seasons of 2015 and2016 in sandy soil on potato culitvar "Sante" to study the effect of using 100%compost (15 t/fed.) and 50% compost + nitrogen fixing bacteria (Azotobacter, andPseudomonas alone or together) on potato yield and quality as compared to theconventional mineral fertilization (120-75-150 kg/fed. NPK + 5 toncompost/fed.(control)). No significant differences in tubers yield/fed. were detectedbetween mineral fertilization (control) and using 100% compost (15t/fed).However, control treatment significantly produced a high yield per feddan,more than using 50% compost + any biofertilizer treatment.Using composttreatment at 15 t/fed.execeed all biofertilizer treatments in marketable yield in bothseasons, but without significant differences as compared with mineral fertilization(control).No significant differences in tuber dray matter and content of starch intuber were found between using compost treatment at 15 ton/fed. and mineralfertilization treatment (control)in both seasons. Nevertheless, application of 50%compost+ 4 applications of Azotobacter and Pseudomonas had the highest tuberconcentrations of starch and nitrogen with significant differences as compared withthe mineral fertilization.Using50% compost + 4 applications of Azotobacter orPseudomonas or both (Azotobacter + Pseudomonas )and application of 100%compost caused producing potato tubers with the lowest concentration of nitratewith significant differences as compared with the mineral fertilization. Nosignificant differences were detected between mineral and organic fertilizersconcerning P and K concentrations in tubers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 103
Author(s):  
Fernando Abasolo Pacheco ◽  
Boris Bonilla Montalván ◽  
Cesar Bermeo Toledo ◽  
Yarelys Ferrer Sánchez ◽  
Andy Jafet Ramirez Castillo ◽  
...  

Agrochemical use in horticultural cultivations generates negative effects, thus the need for searching to decrease or eliminate its use by means of other less toxic techniques. Agricultural homeopathy represents an alternative for ecological agriculture, impacting positively in cultivation development. The effect of four homeopathic medicines for human use were assessed in two centesimal dynamizations (7CH and 13CH) [(Silicea Terra (SiT), Natrum muriaticum (NaM), Zincum phosphoricum (ZiP) and Phosphoricum acidum (PhA)], and a control treatment (distilled water) on tomato plant germination, emergence, and initial development. The treatments were established under a randomized complete block design with three repiclates. Germination and emergence rate and percentage and morphometric variables (plant height, radicle length, dry and wet weight) were assessed, including the variables in stem diameter and wet and dry leaf weight, number of branches, leaves, and buds in the vegetative development stage. Signif icant differences were observed in all the morphometric variables assessed in function of the different development stages, homeopathic medicines, and their different dynamizations. During germination, greater growth in stem length was observed with ZiP-7CH (5.5 ± 0.98 cm) compared to the control group (4.3 ± 1.10 cm). During the emergence stage, the treatments SiT-7CH (6.6 ± 1.11 cm) and ZiP-7CH (5.9 ± 1.41 cm) increased stem length signif icantly whereas with PhA-7CH, the best effects were obtained in the variables assessed during the vegetative development stage, LT (94 ± 8.31 cm), leaf number (No hojas) (131 ± 27.71), fresh stem biomass (BFT) (17.20 ± 2.45 g), wet leaf biomass (BFH) (30 ± 7.72 g), dry leaf biomass (BSH) (2 ± 0.61 g), fresh root biomass (BFR) (10 ± 6.26 g), dry root biomass (BSR) (1 ± 0.43 g), and number of flower buds (No H) (6 ± 7.10). The homeopathic medicines applied impacted positively during the initial and vegetative development stages of tomato under controlled conditions. This research study represents and advance in the sustainable management of tomato cultivation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 84-84
Author(s):  
Itzel A Soto ◽  
Jamie Boyd

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of supplementation of glycerol at a rate of 15% of DMI on forage digestibility on a diet of mature wheat hay. Forages tested included bermuda hay, wheat hay, alfalfa hay, and sorghum sudan hay. Samples were ground through a 2mm screen and placed in Ankom forage in-situ bags. Samples were run in triplicate to reduce error and increase statistical significance. Two ruminally cannulated steers were used in a 2x2 Latin square design for the study with ad libitum access to wheat hay and water. Animals were housed in a dry lot pen for the study. Diets offered were Control = wheat hay and Treatment= control + glycerol at 15% of daily DMI. The study consisted of 2 three-week periods. Each period had a 2-week standardization followed by a 1-week test period. During the test period, forage bags were placed in each steer for 0 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, and 144 h for fermentation. At the end of the incubation period, bags were collected and cold shocked to stop microbial digestion. The samples were then dried at 55°C and stored for later analysis for NDF. A significant impact on NDFdig by treatment (P < 0.0001) was observed. NDFdig was 59.2% w/ glycerol versus control at 49.13% overall. In addition, there was a significant difference between steers (P = 0.0001) on glycerol treatment (51.95% versus 66.45% NDFdig between steer A and B), indicating difference in ruminal population efficiency between individual animals. No significant difference (P = 0.98) between steers on the control treatment was observed. Implications of this study are the inclusion of dietary glycerol in the diet of ruminants on a low-quality forage diet may increase energy level and improve ruminal digestibility and animal response may be dependent on the unique ruminal environment of individual animals.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 37-37
Author(s):  
Itzel A Soto ◽  
Jamie Boyd

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of supplementation of glycerol at a rate of 15% of DMI on forage digestibility on a diet of mature wheat hay. Forages tested included bermuda hay, wheat hay, alfalfa hay, and sorghum sudan hay. Samples were ground through a 2mm screen and placed in Ankom forage in-situ bags. Samples were run in triplicate to reduce error and increase statistical significance. Two ruminally cannulated steers were used in a 2x2 Latin square design for the study with ad libitum access to wheat hay and water. Animals were housed in a dry lot pen for the study. Diets offered were Control = wheat hay and Treatment= control + glycerol at 15% of daily DMI. The study consisted of 2 three-week periods. Each period had a 2-week standardization followed by a 1-week test period. During the test period, forage bags were placed in each steer for 0 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h, and 144 h for fermentation. At the end of the incubation period, bags were collected and cold shocked to stop microbial digestion. The samples were then dried at 55°C and stored for later analysis for NDF. A significant impact on NDFdig by treatment (P < 0.0001) was observed. NDFdig was 59.2% w/ glycerol versus control at 49.13% overall. In addition, there was a significant difference between steers (P = 0.0001) on glycerol treatment (51.95% versus 66.45% NDFdig between steer A and B), indicating difference in ruminal population efficiency between individual animals. No significant difference (P = 0.98) between steers on the control treatment was observed. Implications of this study are the inclusion of dietary glycerol in the diet of ruminants on a low-quality forage diet may increase energy level and improve ruminal digestibility and animal response may be dependent on the unique ruminal environment of individual animals.


2001 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 269-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Edeogu ◽  
J. Feddes ◽  
R. Coleman ◽  
J. Leonard

The effects of agitation, liquid-only manure, depth and time on odour emission rates were investigated. Manure storage tanks were filled to incremental depths every two weeks. At each depth odour samples were collected twice. The second sample was collected seven days after the first. Odour concentration was measured with an olfactometer. Three different pig-manure treatments were investigated. In one treatment, slurry manure in a storage tank was agitated before and during odour sampling. In a second treatment, the settlable solids in manure were removed gravimetrically over 24 hours and liquid manure was pumped to a storage tank. In the third treatment (control), odour samples were collected from unseparated and undisturbed slurry manure. Overall, the odour emission rates in the agitated manure treatment ranged between 0.39 and 1.02 ou s−1 m−2, increased with depth and decreased with time, i.e. after seven days at each depth. In the liquid-only manure treatment, the emission rates ranged between 0.09 and 0.69 ou s−1 m−2, increased with depth but the effect of time was not evident. In the control treatment, the emission rates ranged between 0.20 and 0.66 ou s−1 m−2 and increased with depth on the first odour sampling day but decreased with depth on the second sampling day.


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