Innovative Packaging Technologies to Enhance the Quality of Fresh Cut Flowers
Subject:
Packaging to Enhance the Quality of Fresh Cut Flowers
Abstract:
This is the first research report we have submitted to the Joseph H. Hill Memorial Foundation, INC. We have been conducting studies on controlling Botrytis blight in cut roses that were pre-treated with STS. We have made sachets that have thyme oil (TO) encapsulated by ï?¢-cyclodextrin (CD). The encapsulated TO:CD was placed in sachets made of Tyvek TM. We tried two different ratios of TO:CD and found that the lower ratio TO:CD did not control gray mold in cut roses even when the quantity placed in the Tyvek TM was increased four fold (Table 1). When the ratio of TO:CD was increased to 14:86 there was also no measurable decrease in Botrytis cinerea disease incidence in cut roses that were incubated with TO:CD sachets for 7 d compared to flowers that were not treated (Table 2). However, when the number of TO:CD sachets was increased from one to two the number of lesions and size of lesions decreased in the roses treated with TO:CD compared to the ones not treated (Table 2). Next, we plan to test the effects of three TO:CD sachets on Botrytis blight in cut roses along with the addition of EthylBlocTM sachets to roses that have not been pre-treated with STS or 1-MCP. The results suggest that Botrytis control is possible but we have not determined the optimum concentration of TO to encapsulate in CD or the number of TO:CD sachets to provide per package.
Source: • Hill Memorial Foundation
Keywords: ICFG Hill 2011-2012 Midterm Report
Libraries: Floriculture