THE EFFECT OF STORAGE TEMPERATURES ON COLOMBIAN GROWN CUT ROSE VARIETIES

Abstract

Fourteen varieties of cut roses were stored in boxes for 7 days at 2, 6 or 10°C after being commercially transported 5 days from Colombia. Varieties showed considerable variation in vase life and quality in response to storage temperatures. Vase life decreased 2 to 8 days as storage temperature increased from 2°C to 10°C. ‘Saturn’ and ‘Charlotte’ were the only varieties where vase life was unaffected by storage temperature. High temperature reduced or prevented adequate flower opening on ‘Black Magic’, ‘Classy’, ‘Gabriele’, ‘Leonidas’, ‘Madame Delbard’, ‘Poison’, ‘Red Jewel’ and ‘Valentino’ while ‘Eliza’, ‘Charlotte’, ‘Orlando’ and ‘Saturn’ opened adequately at all temperatures. ‘Red Unique’ and ‘Marylse’ had less than optimal flower opening, regardless of storage temperature. The most tolerant varieties to stressful storage conditions were ‘Charlotte’, ‘Orlando’ and ‘Saturn’.