Vase Life and Postharvest Attributes of Alstroemeria aurea ‘Orange Queen’ as Influenced by the Application of Sodium Nitroprusside Before and After Harvest

Alstroemeria, with its high yields, stunning blooms, and a diverse color palette, has become a major player in the cut flower industry. However, its postharvest life presents a major hurdle: limited vase life. This, coupled with early leaf yellowing and flower drop (perianth abscission), significantly reduced the economic value of Alstroemeria due to accelerated senescence. We conducted an experiment to address this challenge and improve the vase life and other postharvest qualities of Alstroemeria ‘Orange Queen’ cut flowers. We investigated the application of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) at varying concentrations (0, 50, 100, and 200 μM) through two methods: preharvest foliar application (spraying leaves) and a short-term postharvest pulse treatment. A completely randomized factorial design was employed for the experiment. The experiment was conducted with three replications, and each replication consisted of three pots of flowers. We measured various factors to assess the effectiveness of SNP treatment, including vase life, relative solution uptake, relative fresh weight, relative water content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content (an indicator of membrane damage), and catalase enzyme activity (an antioxidant enzyme). The results demonstrated that SNP treatment significantly improved these postharvest characteristics. The most effective treatment involved a two-step approach: applying a foliar spray of 100 μM SNP before harvest, followed by a pulse treatment of 50 μM SNP during the vase life. This combination significantly extended the vase life to 16 d. The beneficial effects of SNP were dependent on both the dose applied and the timing of application. In conclusion, our findings suggest that SNP plays a multifaceted role in extending the vase life of cut Alstroemeria flowers. It appears to work by maintaining flower weight and water content, scavenging free radicals through enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and inhibiting lipid peroxidation, a process that damages cell membranes. This research provides valuable insights for growers and postharvest handlers seeking to improve the vase life and marketability of Alstroemeria cut flowers.