THE SHORT-TERM COLD STORAGE EFFECT ON VASE LIFE OF CUT Hosta LEAVES

Abstract. The longevity of cut leaves in flower arrangements is an important commercial consideration in horticultural practices. Here we report on the effect of short-term cold storage, in combination with a cytokinin treatment, on the post harvest longevity of cut leaves of Hosta ‘Minima Glauca ’ and Hosta ‘Golden Tiara’. Cut leaves were stored dry or wet in polyethylene bags for 2 or 4 days in darkness or in light at 6°C and then transferred to 20°C where their vase life was compared with those of freshly cut leaves. Storage length and method affected the vase life of detached leaves of both Hosta cultivars; how-ever, reduced longevity of leaves in storage could not be attributed to a single parameter of the storage conditions. Pulse conditioning with a cytokinin benzyladenine was effective in prolonging vase life both in non stored and stored leaves, in the latter increasing it 2.5-fold as compared to untreated leaves. Practical implications are that cold storage can be successfully used for cut Hosta leaves but only in combination with a BA pre-treatment