Vol. 9, Issue 6, Part G (2025)

The vase life of cut chrysanthemums is a critical factor for their marketability, with premature foliage yellowing, wilting and incomplete flower opening often reducing their appeal. This study aimed to identify effective floral preservatives to extend the vase life of chrysanthemums (Dendranthema grandiflora Tzvelve) which was conducted at the College of Horticulture, Bengaluru, the experiment was conducted using two chrysanthemum varieties (NPF Yellow and Danty Purple) and seven treatments, including combinations of sucrose, citric acid, 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (8-HQS) and essential oils. The experiment followed a Factorial Completely Randomized Design, with treatments including distilled water (control), and various preservative formulations. The flowers were evaluated for fresh weight, water uptake, freshness index and vase life. The results showed that NPF Yellow exhibited superior performance in terms of fresh weight, water uptake and vase life compared to Danty Purple. Among the preservative treatments, the combination of sucrose (4%), citric acid (200 ppm) and 8-HQS (200 ppm) (P₄) resulted in the highest cumulative fresh weight, maximum water uptake, and longest vase life (22.94 days), significantly outperforming other treatments. The interaction between the NPF Yellow variety and P₄ (V₁P₄) resulted in the best vase life (22.55 days) and freshness index scores. The study highlights the importance of selecting both genetically superior varieties and effective floral preservatives to maximize the postharvest quality and vase life of cut chrysanthemums. The combination of sucrose, citric acid and 8-HQS (P₄) proved to be the most effective solution for extending the vase life, suggesting its potential for commercial applications in the floriculture industry.