Enhancing Postharvest Longevity and Quality of Gladiolus Cut Flowers through Optimized Preservative Solutions

The study took place in the Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences of Arish University over a four-week period in April 2022. The main goal was to see how multi-component preservative solutions extend the vase life and improve the postharvest quality of Gladiolus cut flowers. Several physiological, biochemical, and morphological parameters were monitored over time. The study evaluated the following parameters: fresh weight, water uptake, vase life, display life, antioxidant enzyme activities, and bacterial load . It was found that multi-component solutions ,particularly those and especially combining a source of carbohydrates with antimicrobial compounds and plant growth regulators, consistently and significantly enhanced the performance of postharvest treatment compared to the control and single-component treatment. T15 (Sucrose + Silver nitrate + Gibberellic acid + Benzyladenine), which achieved the highest final fresh weight (64.57 g), the longest overall vase life at day 28 (4.77 days), and the lowest respiration rate and bacterial growth. T12 (Sucrose + Silver nitrate + Benzyladenine) provided the longest total commercial display life (12.49 days) and high consumer acceptability scores. The combination T13 (Sucrose + Gibberellic acid + Benzyladenine) recorded the longest individual floret longevity on day 21 (2.74 days). The results provide a scientific basis for identifying the most effective preservative solutions. This offers useful recommendations for enhancing the marketability and consumer appeal of Gladiolus cut flowers.