Commercial Floriculture

Postharvest Technology

Grading
• Chrysanthemums are graded based on the stem length, flower appearance, number of flowers, stem straightness, colour and freshness of flowers.
• Standard chrysanthemum is graded into Blue, Red, Green and Yellow, whereas spray types are graded into Gold, Silver and Bronze based on the quality parameters.
• In Dutch market, spray chrysanthemums are graded into extra grade and shorter grade.
• The lower leaves are stripped off up to 15-20 cm and bundled in units of 5 stems and secured with a rubber band.

Packing
• Most often standard chrysanthemum are placed in sleeves and packed in display boxes measuring 91 x 43 x 15cm.
• They are placed in the boxes according to the grades.
• For bulk packing of the spray chrysanthemums, 10, 15 or 20 stems are placed in sleeves according to the grades.
• Six sleeves, three at each end, are generally packed in each box, measuring 80 x 50 x 23cm.

Storage
• Chrysanthemum cut flowers can be wrapped in plastics and stored dry for 6 to 8 weeks at a temperature of 0.5oC.
• Temperature for truck shipments across the country ranged between 2o and 4oC.
• The stems in the buckets (after grading) are given a cut using sharp blade and pre cooled at 1°C minimum of 2 hours before packing.
• Chrysanthemum can be stored for 3-6 weeks period at 0-3°C.

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