17 Dec Post harvest management of Cut flowers
कट फ्लावर की कटाई के बाद देखभाल या हैंडलिंग कैसे करें। In agriculture, post harvest handling is the stage of crop production immediately following harvest, including cooling, cleaning, sorting and packing. Post-harvest treatment largely determines final quality, whether a crop is sold for fresh consumption, or used as an ingredient in a processed food product. The most important goals of post-harvest handling are to keep the product cool, to avoid moisture loss and slow down undesirable chemical changes, and avoiding physical damage such as bruising. Initial post-harvest storage conditions are critical to maintain quality. Each crop has an optimum range for storage temperature and humidity. Also, certain crops cannot be effectively stored together, as unwanted chemical interactions can result. Various methods of high-speed cooling, and sophisticated refrigerated and atmosphere-controlled environments, are employed to prolong freshness, particularly in large-scale operations. Vase Life of cut flowers: A fresh flower is still a living specimen even though it has been cut from the plant. The vase life of cut flowers decline due to the following reasons. Inability of stems to absorb water due to blockage Excessive water loss from the cut flower A short supply of carbohydrate to support respiration Diseases Ethylene gas Room temperature and humidity Preservatives are used to extend the vase life of cut flowers. Floral preservatives are very effective in maintaining quality...