Horticultural Science and Technology ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online) 원예과학기술지

The aims of the present study were to compare the quality of cut flowers of the lily (Lilium longiflorum) ‘Woori Tower’ when exported via dry transport (DT) and wet transport and to identify a wet shipping solution that would improve both the vase life and quality of the cut flowers. Cut ‘Woori Tower’ flowers were treated with tap water (TW), Chrysal AVB (C. AVB, 1 mL·L^-1), Chrysal SVB (C. SVB, 1 pill·3 L^-1), 1-methylcyclopropene kit (1-MCP, 2 mg·L^-1), GA₄₊₇ + BA (100 mL· L^-1), Vital Oxide (V.O, 2 mL·L^-1), or H₂ water (HW, 1.5 mg·L^-1) as DT and wet shipping solutions. First and second flowers were in full bloom during the consumer stage (Day 7), with no significant differences between treatment groups. For the third flowers, only the C. SVB and GA₄₊₇ + BA treatment groups were in full bloom, and neither the control group nor the TW group had bloomed at all. The vase life of the C. SVB treatment group and the GA₄₊₇ + BA treatment group were 9.5 and 9.0 d, respectively, which were longer by 1.8 to 2.3 d, and tilting, petal abscission, and yellowing occurred slightly less in these groups than in the DT group. In particular, the C. SVB treatment was associated with a higher fresh weight change rate and a longer positive water balance (9 d), which were effective for quality maintenance. Fewer bacteria were detected in the C. SVB treatment group than in the DT, TW, or wet shipping solution treatment groups, and the ethylene production of the C. SVB group was lower, thereby improving vase life and freshness. Therefore, wet shipping was more effective than DT in improving the quality of cut lily flowers. In addition, C. SVB was the most effective among the tested wet shipping solutions in improving vase life and flower quality, likely by inhibiting ethylene production and improving water balance.