Effects of Chrysanthemum Varieties and Packaging Materials on Shelf Life and Postharvest Quality

Abstract

Floriculture in India has witnessed significant growth, with major production in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh. Chrysanthemum, a commonly cultivated flower, faces post-harvest challenges such as rapid senescence and reduced shelf life. The study was conducted at the Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, College of Horticulture, Bengaluru, during 2019-2021. The objective was to identify the most effective packaging material for extending the shelf life and preserving the postharvest quality of Chrysanthemum cut flowers. Seven different packaging treatments were tested: control (no packing), polythene film (100 µ), newspaper, plastic-coated brown paper, corrugated fibreboard (CFB), butter paper and nano silver-coated polyethylene. The experiment followed a Factorial Completely Randomized Design with two chrysanthemum varieties (NPF Yellow and Danty Purple) and two replications. The parameters measured were physiological loss in weight (PLW), freshness index, and shelf life. Results indicated that the variety NPF Yellow exhibited higher freshness scores (5.12) and shelf life (2.90 days) compared to Danty Purple (4.86 and 2.52 days, respectively). Among the packaging treatments, nano silver-coated polyethylene (P₇) demonstrated the best performance, with the highest freshness score (7.78) and shelf life (4.44 days). The combination of NPF Yellow with nano silver-coated polyethylene (V₁P₇) produced the most favorable results, achieving the longest shelf life (4.81 days). The control treatment recorded the lowest freshness and shelf life. The study emphasizes the importance of both genetic factors and advanced packaging materials in maintaining the freshness and extending the shelf life of cut chrysanthemums, particularly when combined with antimicrobial, atmosphere-modifying packaging like nano silver-coated polyethylene.