STUDIES ON LONG TERM STORAGE OF CARNATIONS GROWN IN YALOVA

In 1994, 4 cultivars (red Astor, pink Tagig and Dianora, white Simona) grown in the Institute were harvested at 3 different stages of bud development in May and stored at 0°C for 4 months. Harvest stages were as follows: 1. tight bud (fully closed), 2. cross bud (petals are visible), 3. brush stage (petals are straight up from the calyx). Storage of brush carnations for longer than one month caused a decrease in vase life. Cross bud and tight bud carnations were stored 3-4 months. In July 1995, red Masai and white Simona grown in the Institute were harvested at 3 stages. The tight and cross bud carnations were opened in 5-6 and 3-4 days, respectively, at 25°C. The best results were obtained from the carnations cut at cross stage when petals are visible. Red Masai, white Simona and white-violet Tempo carnations were harvested at cross stage from a grower's greenhouses in November 1995. The last repeat experiment showed that carnation cut at cross bud stage could be successfully stored at 0°C for 4 months with no decrease in flower quality or vase life when they were treated with a fungicide (0.1% Rovral) and pulsed with a solution contained 560 mg/l silver thiosulphate (STS) + 100 g/l sucrose + 200 mg/l 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate (8-HQC) for 20 h at 2°C prior to storage and when the buds were opened at 25°C in a solution contained 70 g/l sucrose + 200 mg/l 8-HQC + 50 mg/l AgNO3.