Question

Name and explain the primary post-harvest problem associated with the following flowers :
(a) Carnation
(b) Gerbera
(c) Gladiolus

Hint:

Carnation reacts to ethylene gas. Gerbera suffers from a bent neck. Gladiolus spikes bend upward if stored flat.

Answer 1

Step 1: What a post-harvest problem is:
After a cut flower is harvested, it is cut off from the mother plant.
It can no longer get water and food as before.
Each flower has its own weak point that shortens its vase life.
Knowing it helps growers handle the flower correctly.

Step 2: Part (a) - Carnation:
The main problem is ethylene sensitivity.
Carnation produces and reacts to ethylene gas, which is a ripening and ageing hormone.
Ethylene makes the petals curl inward and wilt early. This is often called sleepiness.
Growers use anti-ethylene treatments and keep flowers away from ripening fruit.

Step 3: Part (b) - Gerbera:
The main problem is bent neck.
The stem just below the flower head becomes soft and bends.
It happens when water uptake is blocked by air bubbles or microbes in the stem end.
Cutting the stem end under water and using clean water with a preservative reduces it.

Step 4: Part (c) - Gladiolus:
The main problem is geotropic curvature of the spike.
If the spike lies flat, the tip bends upward and away from the ground.
This spoils its straight shape.
Spikes should be stored and transported in an upright position.

Final Answer:
Carnation: ethylene sensitivity (sleepiness). Gerbera: bent neck. Gladiolus: geotropic bending of the spike.