Postharvest Handling Methods for Bird-of-paradise Flowers (Strelitzia reginae Ait.)1

Pulsing of cut bird-of-paradise flowers greatly enhanced the longevity and floret opening of both unstored and stored flowers. Best results were obtained by pulsing tight flowers with 10% sucrose, 250 ppm 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate and 150 ppm of citric acid for 2 days at 22°C. Flowers cut at a very tight stage (4−5 days before commercial cutting stage) can be opened successfully in the same solution. Best storage temperature is 8°C. Flowers can be stored for up to 1 month without losing quality, if pulsed before storage and if the blooms are dipped in a fungicide solution (benomyl or 2-(4-thiasolyl)-benzimidazide (TBZ) at 200 ppm). Flowers can also be stored at a tight stage and then opened in the pulsing solution after storage.