This document discusses post-harvest management of cut flowers. It begins by introducing cut flowers as high-value but highly perishable crops. It then discusses how cut flowers deteriorate after harvesting due to respiration and factors like temperature, food supply, and ethylene accumulation. Proper temperature management and adequate food supply can help minimize deterioration by reducing respiration rate. The document emphasizes that cool chain management is essential to maintain flower quality after harvesting. It lists factors affecting post-harvest life and discusses best harvest times, pre-cooling, pulsing, and floral packaging techniques.

1. Arvind yadav
ID – 721,
bsc (hons) horticulture .
batch - 2017
Banda University of Agriculture Technology Banda.

2. Post harvest management
of cut flowers

3. INTRODUCTION
• Cut flowers
– High valued crops
– Highly perishable
• Quality remain best at harvest

4. Cut flowers deteriorate as time
passes from harvesting

5. How you will minimize
the on going deterioration
of Cut flower
after harvesting
How long a Cut flower
will sustain life

6. It is the Respiration Rate of a flower that
determine how long a flower will sustain life.
The next big question now is how to reduce
respiration rate

7. SOLUTION
Proper TEMPERATURE management
Adequate FOOD supply

8. The higher the temperature, the
higher is the Respiration rate

9. To maintain the FLOWER QUALITY after
harvesting Cool Chain Management is
thus essential

10. Cut stem of Flowers are perishable due to one or
more of the following reasons :-
• Attacked by bacteria and fungi,
• Normal maturation and aging ,
• Desiccation due to water stress and xylem blockage,
• Bruising and crushing,
• Fluctuating temperatures during storage and transit,
• Accumulation of ethylene,
The flowers are thus required to be handled very
carefully and treated adequately during Pre harvest
as well as Post harvest period to maintain the
quality.

11. Factors affecting post harvest life of
flower
Pre-harvest Harvest
o Genetic makeup Stage of harvest
o Growing conditions Time of harvest
• Light method of harvest
• Temperature Post-harvest factor
• Humidity Light
• Water Temperature
• Nutrients Humidity
• Pest & diseases Ventilation
• Toxic gases Packaging

12. Post harvest handling of cut flowers
includes both harvest and handling
● Harvest includes the decision of when, how and
where to cut and the actual act of cutting the
flower.
● Handling is everything else involved in preparing
the flowers for market.

13. “WHEN”
Best time of day for harvesting flowers
The best time is the coolest
part of the day and when there
is no surface water from dew
or rain on the plants.
This usually is in the
cool of the morning after
the dew has dried.

14. General rules for when to harvest are:-
Spike type flowers—
Harvest when one-fourth to one-half of the
individual florets are open;
Daisy type flowers—
Harvest when flowers are fully open.

15. Maturity at harvest

16. Pre-cooling
Rapid removal of field heat, immediately after the
harvest of flowers.
Done by placing in cold storage without packing or
in open boxes. Pre-cooling temperature varies
from species to species.
Example : Gladiolus : 5-7 ˚C
Bird of Paradise : 7-8 16˚ C

17. Pulsing
• The absorption of chemical
solutions containing sugar and
germicide through the lower
cut bases of flower stem is
Known as pulsing.
• Sucrose replace the depleted
endogenous CHO utilised during
the post harvest life of flowers.

19. Floral Packaging
Boxes :-
Sturdy chipboard floral boxes protect bouquets.
Sleeves: -
Polypropylene floral sleeves are ideal for wrapping
cut flowers.