INTRODUCTION

Among various commercially grown cut flowers,
lilium has just opened its way in cut flower market in our
country, and enjoys a status of pride among cut flowers in
world, being next only to tulip. Lilium ranks 6th among top
ten cut flowers of the world. In production of cut flowers,
one of the most important aspects is to deliver the flowers
in garden – fresh condition to the market. About 28-32%
annual loss has been recorded in flowers due to traditional
methods of growing and poor post-harvest handling
measures (Dadlani, 1997). Although vase life and quality of
flowers are genetically decided, it can be manipulated to
certain extent by improved production technology and by
adopting effective post-harvest handling measures. Early
senescence poses difficulties in transport and long distance
marketing of flowers. The quality and vase life of cut
flowers can be improved by loading them with sugars
immediately after harvest as pulsing treatment. Different
biocides/ antioxidants have also been used as supplement
to the pulsing solutions (Khan et al, 2007; Singh et al, 2007).
However, efforts made with regard to lilium are meagre.
Therefore, in order to delay the senescence and reduce the

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 4 (2): 138-142, 2009

Effect of pulsing treatments for enhancing shelf-life
of cut Asiatic lilium cv. Elite

S.A. Wani, M.A.A. Siddique, F.U. Khan, Z.A. Qadri, F.A. Khan1,
Q.A.H. Dar and S. Ali

Division of Floriculture, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir

Shalimar Campus-191121, Srinagar (J&K), India
E mail: yagaous@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Studies were conducted on cut Asiatic Lilium cv. Elite to assess the effectiveness of various floral preservatives as
pulsing treatments for delaying senescence and prolonging vase life. Uniform spikes of lilium at bud colour break
stage were brought to the laboratory in the morning and placed in 8 different pulsing solutions consisting of sucrose
(Suc) 5%, aluminium sulphate  (AS) 400 ppm, silver thio-sulphate (STS) 2.0 mM and citric acid (CA) 1000 ppm alone
and in combination with sucrose. Distilled water without any chemical served as the control. Among individual
treatments, STS 2.0 mM maintained better water relations and flower quality compared to others. STS also showed
superiority over other treatments when combined with Suc 5% by providing largest flower size (16.74 cm) with
maximum vase life (17.29 days) owing to most-favourable water relations parameters.

Key words: Lilium, pulsing treatment, vase life

1Division of Post Harvest Technology

post-harvest losses the present work was planned to find
out the effective pulsing treatments for prolonging the vase
life and quality of cut lilium.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Lilium cv. Elite was grown in the experimental fields
of the Division of Floriculture, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants,
SKUAST-K, Shalimar during the summer of 2006-07. Healthy,
good looking, stout and uniform sized spikes (90 cm) with
comparable flower bud diameter (1.80 cm) were harvested
in the morning at bud colour break stage, brought to the
laboratory and pre-cooled at 10C for a period of 45 minutes.
The spikes were re-cut and placed in various preservative
solutions comprised of sucrose (Suc 5% - T

1
), aluminium

sulphate (AS 400 ppm - T
2
), silver thio-sulphate (STS 2.0

mM - T
3
), citric acid (CA 1000 ppm - T

4
), T

1
 + T

2
 (T

5
), T

1
 +

T
3
 (T

6
), T

1
 + T

4
 (T

7
) and water as control (T

8
) for 12 h. All

the treatments were replicated thrice with five spikes as one
sample unit. The volume of solution provided to each spike
was 200 ml. The vases were kept in the laboratory at room
temperature (20 ± 2 0C) with 70 ± 5% relative humidity under
natural light. Various post harvest parameters were estimated
at every two day’s intervals as under:



139

• Water uptake (g/spike)- (W
u
) = [C + S]

1 
– [C+S]

2

• Water loss (g/spike)- (W
l
) = [C + S +F]

1 
– [C+S+ F]

2

• Water balance (g/spike)- (W
b
) = W

u
 – W

l

• Water loss/water uptake ratio = W
l
 / W

u

• Fresh weight changes (%) – (F
w
)  = FW

1
 – FW

2  
 
x 100

    FW
1

Where, C = weight of container (g); S = weight of solution
(g); F = weight of flower spike (g); FW

1
 = Initial

weight of flower spike; FW
2
 = Final weight of flower

spike; 1 = initial; 2= final

Vase life of the spike was recorded from the day
of anthesis of the first flower bud to the senescence of last
flower. The diameter of second flower was measured with
the help of measuring scale when it was full open. Data
obtained were analyzed for critical difference among the
various treatments under completely randomized design
(Gomez and Gomez, 1984).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Water uptake

Data presented in Table 1 revealed that different
pulsing treatments have significant effect on water uptake
in cut lilium spikes. Sucrose 5% + STS 2.0 mM (T

6
) exhibited

the highest water uptake throughout the vase period followed
by sucrose 5% + AS 400 ppm (T

5
) and sucrose 5% + citric

acid 1000 ppm (T
7
) against the minimum water uptake in

control (T
8
), which in turn was also reflected in their

cumulative water uptake of 32.55 (T
6
), 29.87 (T

5
), 27.44

(T
7
) and 19.11 g/spike (T

8
). Sucrose and other chemicals

also individually improved daily as well as cumulative water
uptake significantly with aggregated amounts in order of
19.95 g/spike (sucrose 5% - T

1
), 22.35 g/spike (CA 1000

ppm – T
4
), 23.60 g/spike (AS 400 ppm- T

2 
) and 24.50 g/

spike (STS 2.0 mM – T
3
). Data also showed that the rate of

water uptake was faster during early days (day 2 to day 8)
and thereafter gradually declined during later days (day 8 to
day 14) to reach minimum on 14th day. These results are also
in close agreement with those of Gowda (1994), who observed
that solutions of sucrose, STS alone or in combination
improved water uptake in gladiolus. Maintenance of higher
water uptake in pulsing solution of sucrose may be attributed
to its role in absorbing more water through lowering the
osmotic potential of flower tissues. Aluminium sulphate, silver
thio-sulphate and citric acid are well known germicides which
inhibit the vascular blockage caused by various micro
organisms and used for improving the shelf life of cut flowers.
The higher water uptake in combined treatments of sucrose
plus other biocides may be attributed to their additive role by
clearing the path of water movement through inhibiting the
vascular blockage (Khan et al, 2007).

Water loss

Data presented in Table 2 revealed that various
pulsing treatments had significant influence on water loss
behaviour of cut Asiatic lilium throughout the period compared
with control which could also be evidenced from the
cumulative data on water loss. The pattern of daily as well as
cumulative water loss was similar to that of the water uptake,
i.e. it was faster during the early days and declined afterward
wherein T

6
 showed maximum water loss which was followed

by T
5
, T

7
, T

2
, T

4
, T

1
, T

8
 and T

3
 with the cumulative water

loss of 17.73, 17.35, 16.69, 15.91, 14.88, 13.99, 13.86 and
11.47 g/spike, respectively. Our results are in close conformity
with those of Gowda and Murthy (1992) who reported that
water uptake and thus water loss was significantly higher in
sucrose + STS treatments in case of cut gladiolus.

Water balance

Statistical analysis of the data portrayed that
different pulsing solutions have significant consequence on

Table 1. Effect of pulsing treatment on daily water uptake (g/spike) in cut Lilium cv. Elite

Treatment Daily water uptake (g/spike) Cumulative water
Days after pulsing  uptake (g/spike)

2 4 6 8 10 12 14
T

1
-Suc 5% 2.87 4.51 4.63 3.61 3.21 1.01 0.11 19.95

T
2
-AS 400 ppm 3.06 4.84 4.96 4.31 3.91 2.11 0.41 23.60

T
3
-STS 2.0 mM 3.08 5.01 5.16 4.71 4.01 2.46 0.61 24.50

T
4
-CA 1000 ppm 3.00 4.62 4.79 3.91 3.61 1.81 0.16 22.35

T
5
-Suc 5% + AS 400 ppm 2.98 5.82 5.98 5.31 4.51 3.01 2.26 29.87

T
6
-Suc 5% + STS 2.0 mM 3.10 6.00 6.21 5.91 4.81 3.51 3.01 32.55

T
7
-Suc 5% + CA 1000 ppm 3.13 5.64 5.71 5.01 4.31 2.71 0.93 27.44

T
8
-Control 3.11 4.32 4.46 3.21 3.01 0.94 0.06 19.11

CD (p=0.05) 0.005 0.005 0.011 0.010 0.007 0.006 0.012 0.038

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 4 (2): 138-142, 2009

Effect of pulsing treatment on shelf-life of  Asiatic Lilium



140

water balance of cut lilium spikes. Data (Table 3) revealed
that in general, water balance increased during initial days
(Day 2 to day 4) and subsequently decreased to reach
minimum at day 14. It is also interesting to note that all the
combined treatments sustained a positive water balance
throughout the post harvest life with greatest amount in
“sucrose 5% + STS 2.0 mM” (0.40 g/spike) followed by
“sucrose 5% + AS 400 ppm” (0.11 g/spike) and “sucrose
5% + CA 1000 ppm” (0.03 g/spike) on the last day of
observation, whereas, all other treatments showed negative
values owing to more water loss through transpiration than
absorption. This disparity in water balance due to various

pulsing treatments was also apparent in case of cumulative
water balance with greatest quantity in “sucrose 5% + STS
2.0 mM” (14.80g /spike), followed by “sucrose 5% + AS
400 ppm” (12.52 g/spike), “sucrose 5% + CA 1000 ppm”
(10.75 g/spike) against the minimum of 5.25 g/spike in control.
The differences in water balance were the outcome of the
water uptake and water loss behaviour (Table 4).
Instrumental role of sugars in improving the water uptake
and restricting the stomatal closer might have resulted in
improved water balance. Antimicrobial agents further
supplemented the water balance by inhibiting vascular
blockage (Reddy et al, 1996).

Table 2. Effect of pulsing treatment on daily water loss (g/spike) in cut Lilium cv. Elite

Treatment Daily water loss (g/spike) Cumulative water
Days after pulsing loss (g/spike)

2 4 6 8 10 12 14
T

1
-Suc 5% 1.00 2.33 3.16 3.21 2.90 1.11 0.28 13.99

T
2
-AS 400 ppm 1.09 2.38 3.31 3.31 2.98 2.06 0.51 15.91

T
3
-STS 2.0 mM 1.08 2.41 3.36 3.36 3.01 2.39 0.66 11.47

T
4
-CA 1000 ppm 1.01 2.35 3.26 3.26 2.91 1.88 0.21 14.88

T
5
-Suc 5% + AS 400 ppm 1.10 2.48 3.48 3.51 3.11 2.46 1.21 17.35

T
6
-Suc 5% + STS 2.0 mM 1.13 2.51 3.52 3.61 3.21 2.51 1.26 17.73

T
7
-Suc 5% + CA 1000 ppm 1.12 2.46 3.41 3.41 3.06 2.41 0.82 16.69

T
8
-Control 1.15 2.26 3.11 3.16 2.86 1.06 0.26 13.86

CD (p=0.05) 0.042 0.008 0.010 0.011 0.009 0.009 0.004 0.039

Table 3. Effect of pulsing treatment on daily water balance (g/spike) in cut Lilium cv. Elite

Treatment Daily water balance (g/spike) Cumulative water
Days after pulsing balance (g/spike)

2 4 6 8 10 12 14
T

1
-Suc 5% 1.87 2.18 1.47 0.40 0.31 -0.10 -0.17 5.96

T
2
-AS 400 ppm 1.97 2.46 1.65 1.00 0.93 0.05 -0.10 7.96

T
3
-STS 2.0 mM 2.00 2.60 1.80 1.35 1.00 0.07 -0.05 8.77

T
4
-CA 1000 ppm 1.99 2.27 1.53 0.65 0.70 -0.07 -0.05 7.02

T
5
-Suc 5% + AS 400 ppm 1.88 3.34 2.50 1.80 1.40 0.55 1.05 12.52

T
6
-Suc 5% + STS 2.0 mM 1.97 3.49 2.69 2.30 1.60 1.00 1.75 14.80

T
7
-Suc 5% + CA 1000 ppm 2.01 3.18 2.30 1.60 1.25 0.30 0.11 10.75

T
8
-Control 1.96 2.06 1.35 0.05 0.15 -0.12 -0.20 5.25

CD (p=0.05) 0.010 0.010 0.005 0.008 0.009 0.038 0.039 0.300

Table 4. Effect of pulsing treatment on daily water loss/water uptake ratio in cut Lilium cv. Elite

Treatment Daily water loss/water uptake ratio
Days after pulsing

2 4 6 8 10 12 14
T

1
-Suc 5% 0.34 0.51 0.68 0.88 0.90 1.09 2.56

T
2
-AS 400 ppm 0.35 0.49 0.66 0.76 0.76 0.97 1.24

T
3
-STS 2.0 mM 0.35 0.48 0.65 0.71 0.75 0.97 1.08

T
4
-CA 1000 ppm 0.33 0.50 0.68 0.83 0.80 1.03 1.34

T
5
-Suc 5% + AS 400 ppm 0.36 0.42 0.58 0.66 0.68 0.81 0.53

T
6
-Suc 5% + STS 2.0 mM 0.36 0.41 0.56 0.61 0.66 0.71 0.41

T
7
-Suc 5% + CA 1000 ppm 0.35 0.43 0.59 0.68 0.71 0.88 0.88

T
8
-Control 0.36 0.52 0.69 0.98 0.95 1.12 4.43

CD (p=0.05) 0.002 0.050 0.035 0.018 0.047 0.203 0.047

Wani et al

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 4 (2): 138-142, 2009



141

Water loss/water uptake ratio

Data reflected that in general, water loss/water
uptake ratio of cut lilium spikes increased gradually with time
to reach maximum on the last day of the treatments (Table
4). Pulsing of spikes in sucrose 5% in combination with other
preservatives resulted in lesser values of water loss/ water
uptake ratio as compared with the individual chemicals
whereas, the maximum water loss/ water uptake ratio was
recorded in control. Water loss/ water uptake ratio on day 14
clearly indicated that among the combined treatments, T

6

maintained a better ratio (0.41) as compared to T
5
 (0.53) and

T
7
 (0.88) whereas individual treatments gave better result

with T
3
 (1.08) followed by T

2
 (1.24), T

4
 (1.34) and T

1
 (2.56)

against a poor ratio of 4.43 in control. Though the treatments
which showed more water uptake also accompanied with
more water loss, the differences in water loss/water uptake
ratio in various treatments may be attributed to the differences
in degree of water loss due to various treatments. The lowered
water loss/water uptake ratio in treated spikes as compared
to control was in line with the finding that water balance
significantly increased by sucrose plus metallic salts when
compared to control in case of gladiolus (Reddy et al., 1996).

Fresh weight change

As evidenced from the data fresh weight change
differed significantly among the treatments and the difference
increased with time in the vase (Table 5). Fresh weight was
found to be increased in all the treatments up to day 6 and
then decreased sharply from day 8 to the last day. Spikes
treated in pulsing solutions of sucrose plus other chemicals in
combination (T

5
, T

6
 and T

7
) were able to maintain a positive

value of fresh weight change even on last day indicating a
gain in their fresh weight while as all other treatments including
control showed negative values owing to loss in their fresh
weight. At day 6 the maximum fresh weight gain of 20.13

per cent was exhibited by T
6
 followed by other treatments of

sucrose in combination with other metabolites and the
chemicals alone which were at par with each other. Superiority
of T

6 
in maintaining the fresh weight was sustained even at

day last where a fresh weight gain of 2.01 per cent was
recorded as compared to 1.51 and 0.96 per cent increase in
fresh weight by T

5
 and T

7
, respectively. Stimart (1983)

reported that there was initial increase in fresh weight followed
by decline and the increase being larger in flowers kept in
sucrose than those kept in de-ionized water. Decline in fresh
weight of spikes may be attributed to decrease in water relation
parameters. Beside, the second peak (climacteric rise) in the
respiratory drift, which is considered to decide the final
senescence stage (Swarup, 1993) and decrease in pool of
dry matter and respirable substrates especially in petals might
be considered as other important factors responsible for
decrease in fresh weight of lilium spikes.

Flower size

Data pertaining to the effect of various pulsing
treatments on floral attributes  described that various floral traits
varied significantly on account of different pulsing solutions (Table
6). Combined treatments of sucrose with other chemicals
exhibited better results in terms of floral attributes as compared
with individual effect of different chemical preservatives. A
maximum size of flower in terms of flower diameter (16.74 cm)
was recorded in “sucrose 5% + STS 2.0 mM”, followed by
“sucrose 5% + AS 400 ppm” (15.61 cm) and “sucrose 5% +
CA 1000 ppm” (15.21 cm) against the lowest flower diameter
(13.81 cm) in control, while sucrose and other chemical treatments
individually gave flower diameter in between. Our results also
confirm the findings of Khan et al (2007). Therefore, in the
present studies STS in combination with sucrose might have
inhibited the vascular blockage by acting as antimicrobial agents
thus enhanced water uptake and there by increased cell growth/
volume hence improved the flower size.

Table 5. Effect of pulsing treatment on fresh weight change (%) of cut Lilium cv. Elite

Treatment Fresh weight change (%)
Days after pulsing

2 4 6 8 10 12 14
T

1
-Suc 5% 11.83 17.71 19.01 11.01 7.04 -2.01 -3.85

T
2
-AS 400 ppm 12.01 17.54 18.46 8.01 3.11 0.22 -1.98

T
3
-STS 2.0 mM 12.33 18.12 19.03 8.54 4.33 0.56 -1.79

T
4
-CA 1000 ppm 11.93 17.94 18.01 8.22 1.51 -1.58 -2.31

T
5
-Suc 5% + AS 400 ppm 12.71 18.49 19.73 12.11 7.32 3.01 1.51

T
6
-Suc 5% + STS 2.0 mM 13.01 19.72 20.13 13.72 8.49 4.32 2.01

T
7
-Suc 5% + CA 1000 ppm 11.73 18.02 19.52 10.74 5.31 2.49 0.96

T
8
-Control 13.02 19.03 19.72 7.76 2.11 -2.22 -3.91

CD (p=0.05) 0.032 0.035 0.019 0.047 0.032 0.054 0.030

Effect of pulsing treatment on shelf-life of  Asiatic Lilium

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 4 (2): 138-142, 2009



142

Flower longevity

Sucrose 5% along with STS 2.0 mM (T
6
) also resulted

in maximum flower longevity of the 1st and 2nd flower (5.08
and 4.98 day) as well as the days taken to open 2nd flower
(2.50 day) while among the individual treatments the highest
longevity of the 1st and 2nd flower (4.81 and 4.43 day) and days
taken to open 2nd flower (1.75 day) was recorded with T

3

against the minimum values of these attributes (3.93, 3.54 and
1.00 day) in control. Sucrose in combination with preservative
(STS) showed significant increase in flower longevity as sucrose
supply the necessary energy requirements while as STS is
known to work as anti-ethylene and biocide agents.

Vase life

A significant improvement in vase life of cut lilium
was witnessed due to various pulsing treatments. Combined
treatments again showed their superiority as exhibited highest
vase life with maximum of 17.29 day in T

6
, followed by T

5

(16.01 day) and T
7
 (14.61 day), while the vase life of cut

lilium in individual treatments remained between 12.01 day
and 14.34 day against a minimum vase life (11.34 day)
recorded in control. Similar results have also been reported
by earlier workers (Reddy et al, 1996).

Starvation in sugar pool, plugging of vascular tissues
by micro-organisms and damage by ethylene have been
identified as the major cause of poor keepability of many cut
flowers (van Doorn, 2004). Applied sugars might have
recompensed the starved sugars while as STS improved the
water balance and protect the flowers from the damaging effect
of ethylene and thus maintained an improved vase life of flowers.

Pulsing of spikes in sucrose 5% + STS 2.0 mM for
a period of 12 hours proved most influential in maintaining a
good water relations which consequently improved flower

quality and vase life by about 6 days as compared to control.
Therefore, the technique may be exploited for the transport
and shipment of lilium spikes to fetch the beautiful return
and promote the floriculture industry.

REFERENCES

Dadlani, N.K. 1997. Product diversification in floriculture.
Flori. Today, 8: 5-9

Gomez, K.A. and Gomez, A.A. 1984. Statistical Procedure
for Agricultural Research (2nd ed). John Wiley and
Sons, Inc. New York, USA

Gowda, J.V.N. 1994. Prolonging cut flower life. Rose News,
12:3-5

Gowda, J.V.N. and Murthy, G.M.A. 1992. Effect of aluminium,
calcium and sucrose on post harvest life of gladiolus.
Proc. Nat. Semi. Comm. Flori. India held at Indo-
American Hybrid Seed Company, Bangalore

Khan, F.U., Khan, F.A., Hayat, N. and Bhat, S.A. 2007.
Influence of certain chemicals on vase life of cut tulip.
Indian J. Plant Physiol., 12:127-132

Nowak, J. and Mynett, K. 1985. The effect of sucrose, silver
thio-sulphate and 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate on the quality
of Lilium inflorescence cut at the bud stage and stored
at low temperature. Scientia Hort., 25: 299-302

Reddy, B.S., Singh, K. and Saini, A.S. 1996. Effect of sucrose
and citric acid on the post harvest physiology of tuberose
cv. Double. Haryana J. Hort. Sci., 25:163-167

Singh, K., Singh, R. and Kapoor, M. 2007. Effect of vase
and pulsing solutions on keeping quality of standard
carnation (Dianthes caryophyllus Linn.) cut flowers.
J. Ornam. Hort., 10:20-24

Stimart, P. 1983. Effect on physiological factors of flower
zinnia. J. Hort. Sci., 14:62-73

Swarup, V. 1993. Floriculture Industry in India.  J. Ornam.
Hort., 1:18-26

Table 6. Effect of pulsing treatment on floral attributes of cut Lilium cv. Elite

Treatment Flower diameter Longevity of Days taken to open Longevity of Vase life (day)
(cm) 1st flower (day) 2nd flower 2nd flower(day)

T
1
-Suc 5% 14.01 4.47 1.25 4.30 12.01

T
2
-AS 400 ppm 14.61 4.49 1.50 4.32 12.34

T
3
-STS 2.0 mM 14.91 4.81 1.75 4.43 14.34

T
4
-CA 1000 ppm 14.31 4.64 2.00 4.32 13.61

T
5
-Suc 5% + AS 400 ppm 15.61 5.04 2.00 4.78 16.01

T
6
-Suc 5% + STS 2.0 mM 16.74 5.08 2.50 4.98 17.29

T
7
-Suc 5% + CA 1000 ppm 15.21 4.98 2.00 4.57 14.61

T
8
-Control 13.81 3.93 1.00 3.54 11.34

CD (p=0.05) 0.046 0.101 0.005 0.082 0.021

(MS Received 15 September 2008, Revised 8 June 2009)

J. Hortl. Sci.
Vol. 4 (2): 138-142, 2009

Wani et al