Chitosan Extends Vase Life of Cut Alpinia purpurata Pink

Abstract

Cut Alpinia sp is a new, emerging cut flower in Indonesia. Their performance attracts customer to place the flower in home, office or event decoration. Extending the vase life of the flower would give benefit the farmer and distributor during distribution and marketing period. Chitosan is a chemical produced from chitin which is considered as natural product and has been reported prolong the vase life of Estonia grandiflorum. In this study chitosan has been applied as dip solution or in holding solution. As dip solution chitosan was found effective. Control, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0% of chitosan have been tried with uptake, respiration rate, weight loss and colour were observed. At tropical ambient temperature the vase life extension was gained when cut Alpinia purpurata pink were dipped in 0.1% chitosan solution with the vase life of 19.3 days (4 days extension). Thus, 0,1% chitosan dip is recommended for postharvest treatment of the flower.