MSc

Cut foliages are important components of the floricultural industry, and are
largely used as fillers in floral decorations. In 2021-22, India has exported
23,597.17MT of floriculture products to the world for the worth of Rs. 771.41crores.
In recent times, the international trade of cut foliage from Kerala has expanded
enormously and cut foliage is being exported on a large scale from the state. Despite
this, research studies on post harvest management of ornamental cut foliage are
meagre compared to cut flowers. Dracaena fragrans cv. ‘Massangeana’, belonging to
the family Asparagaceae is a popular foliage plant and is characterized by its swordshaped dark green leaves with a yellow stripe along the centre. The main problem in
the cut foliage industry is its highly perishable nature and deterioration in quality
before reaching the customer. The vase life progressively declines with the duration
of the storage and increased storage temperature. Hence standardisation of post
harvest practices can help in extending vase life and increasing the export potential of
Dracaena fragrans cv. „Massangeana’.
Keeping the above facts in view, the present study entitled ‘Post harvest studies
in Dracaena fragrans (L.) Ker Gawl cv. ‘Massangeana’ was undertaken in the
Department of Postharvest Management with the objective to standardise and develop
a cost-effective storage protocol for the cut foliage species Dracaena fragrans cv.
‘Massangeana’.
The first experiment was conducted in completely randomized design with five
treatments and three replications each. The leaves were precooled for six hours in
both cold storage and refrigerated conditions under both dry (sealed in polyethylene
sleeves) and wet (in bottles filled with distilled water) conditions. The control was
maintained in ambient conditions without precooling treatment. Significantly highest
vase life of 16.67 days was exhibited by leaves that were precooled under dry storage
in cold storage conditions.
All the treatments showed distinct differences in the percentage of weight loss
over the vase life, and lower values of weight loss (5.25%) and transpiration
(7.51µl/g/day) were observed in the control. A constantly increasing amount of water
was absorbed by the leaves that were precooled under dry storage in cold storage
conditions. The lowest ethylene evolution rate (0.10 ppm) and the maximum amount
of chlorophyll (1.50 mg g-1
) at the end of the vase life were also observed in this
treatment. The respiration rate declined gradually in all treatments and the lowest rate
of respiration (0.30%) at the end of vase life was observed in treatments that were
precooled in cold storage conditions under both wet and dry storage.
The second experiment was conducted in completely randomised design with
two factors, namely the storage conditions and the packaging materials. The
precooling treatment in dry storage under cold storage conditions resulted in
significantly higher vase life and quality of leaves, and all the leaves in the second
experiment were precooled in this method. The various packaging materials used
were non-vented polyethylene and polypropylene sleeves, and perforated
polyethylene and polypropylene sleeves. These were stored in ambient, cold storage
and refrigerated conditions. There was significant interaction effect between the two
factors in all the observations. Significantly higher vase life was exhibited by leaf
samples which were packed in non-vented polypropylene sleeves and stored in cold
storage conditions for one week (20.50 days).
The vase life studies revealed that the minimum loss in weight (18.64%) and
rate of transpiration (26.64µl/g/day) at the end of vase life was observed in leaves
packed in perforated polyethylene sleeves and stored under cold storage conditions.
As the storage duration increased, the rate of water uptake gradually decreased,
coinciding with the end of the vase life. The maximum amount of chlorophyll
throughout storage for four weeks was observed in the leaves which were packed in
both non-vented polyethylene (1.69 mg g-1
) and polypropylene sleeves (1.60 mg g-1
)
and stored under cold storage conditions which were on par with each other. The
respiration and ethylene evolution rate declined gradually in all treatments and after
four weeks of storage, the leaves in polypropylene sleeves and control under ambient
conditions showed the lowest rate of respiration (0.00%). The BC ratio for the sale of
leaves stored for one week in polypropylene sleeves under ambient conditions was
0.56 and under cold storage, 0.34. The leaves fetch better prices in the export market
and the BC ratio can increase up to 1.63, depending on the destination.
The most desirable characteristics were observed in leaves stored under cold
storage conditions and the storage under refrigerated conditions resulted in damages
due to chilling injury. A reduction in vase life and other parameters was also observed
in all the treatments as the storage duration increased.
Precooling of Dracaena fragrans cv. ‘Massangeana’ leaves for six hours in dry
storage under cold storage conditions increased the vase life of the leaves. Packaging
in non-vented polypropylene sleeves and storage for one week under cold storage
conditions resulted in better vase life and reduced metabolic activities, which is
desirable to enhance the export potential of the leaves.