STANDARDIZATION OF WRAPPING MATERIALS AND STORAGE TREATMENTS FOR THE POSTHARVEST LIFE OF CHINCHERINCHEE (ORNITHOGALUM THYRSOIDES JACQ.) CUT FLOWERS

ABSTRACT The investigation entitled “Studies on postharvest handling of chincherinchee (Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq.)” were carried out at the Experimental Farm and Laboratory of Department of Floriculture and Landscape Architecture, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan in the year 2012-2013. The experiment on wrapping material and storage durations was laid out in Factorial Completely Randomized Design and replicated thrice. A total of seven wrapping materials viz. Polyethylene (W1), newspaper (W2), cellophane sheet (W3), butter paper (W4), low density polyethylene (LDPE) (W5) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) (W6) as different treatments by keeping unwrapped (W0) cut stems as control and 4 storage durations at 4o C having relative humidity 70 per cent in 3 (D1), 6 (D2), 9 (D3) and 12 (D4) days. Wrapping of cut stems in cellophane combined with 3 days storage durations at a temperature of 4oC improved postharvest life parameters of chincherinchee viz. Floret size, the percentage of unopened florets, appearance, vase life, and the amount of holding solutions consumed.