POSTHARVEST QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTIVARS OF POTTED ROSE IN RESPONSE TO HOLDING CONDITIONS AND CYTOKININS

Six cultivars of potted rose (Rosa xhybrida L.) plants were evaluated for shipping stress-induced leaf chlorosis during holding at 8, 16, or 28C for 2, 4, or 6 days. 'Meijikatar' showed more leaf chlorosis than the similar 'Meirutral' at the higher simulated shipping temperatures and longer durations. Plants of 'Meijikatar' were treated before simulated shipping with BA, TZ, or Promalin at 0, 25, 50, or 100 mg cytokinin/liter each, then paper-sleeved and stored in the dark in fiberboard boxes at 16C for 5 days. Plant quality 5 days after removal from storage was better with BA at 50 or 100 than at 0 mg.liter-1. All cytokinin-treated plants showed less leaf chlorosis than controls. Benzyladenine at 50 or 100 mg.liter-1 reduced leaf chlorosis when compared to all TZ treatments. There were no differences among treatments in the number of etiolated shoots per plant. Chemical names used: N-(phenylmethyl)-1H-purin-6-amine (benzyladenine, BA); trans-zeatin (TZ); gibberellic acid (GA4+7) + BA (Promalin).