What's 'STS'
Subject:
STS
Abstract:
WHAT'S"STS"??/^'It'shardtobelieve,butgrowersstillask,"What'sSTS?"STSstandsforthechemicalcalledsilverthiosulfate.ItwasfirstusedbyDutchresearcherstopreventethyleneinjurytocutflowers.STSwasbetterthansilvernitratebecauseSTSwasabsorbedcompletelyupthestemintotheflower.STSisintheorderofanindustry"breakthrough"asitsproperuseduringthepostharvestperiodpracticallyguaranteesthatflowersleepinessorflowerdrop(causedbyethylene)canbeeliminatedasproblemsinshippingandhandling.Inotherwords,ifyougrowandsellacropsubjecttoethyleneinjuryandyoudon'tuseSTS,you'rebeingsortofstupid!You'realsobeingstupidifyouuseitonacropthatdoesn'tneedit.Thecutflowerswhichhaveethyleneproblemsarecarnations,gypsophila,snapdragons,sweetpeasandpossiblySweetWilliam.Theremaybeothers.TherearealsomanybloomingpotplantswhichbenefitfromSTS(asprayapplication).ExamplesareChristmascacti(allkinds),fuchsias,calceolariasandbougainvillea.ThesimplestwaytoobtainSTSistobuythepreparedliquidconcentratefromasupplier.Itismostoftenusedatthelowrateofoneouncepergallonofwaterforovernightandlongerstem-watertreatments.Forquickor"pulse"treatmentsfor10minutesoracoupleofhours,STSisusedatarateashighasfourouncespergallon.Forsprayoffoliageandyoungflowersofpottedplants,STSmaybeusedattwoorthreeouncespergallon.EachcropcanbeveryspecificinthewaySTS isapplied.ThealternativewaytoobtainSTSistomakeityourselffromscratch.Youmustobtainthebasicchemicalsfromabasicchemicalsupplier.Thechemicalsare:(1)silvernitrate(AgN03),and(2)anhydroussodiumthiosulfate(Na2S203)-
Source: • No Source Provided
Keywords: Cut flowers Snapdragons Carnations, Gypsophila
Libraries: Floriculture