PRESERVATIVE SOLUTION FOR GAMMA-IRRADIATED CHRYSANTHEMUM CUT FLOWERS

Yellow mini-chrysanthemums were irradiated in a Cobalt-60 Gammacell at the dose of 900 Gy (467 Gy/h) one day after harvest. Samples of 50 fl owers, parcially opened buds were used to estimate the flower viabilit y. Aluminum sulfate and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate were used as two pr eservative solutions aiming to protect the cut flowers. Our results in dicated that the stem immersion in the preservative solutions before a nd after the irradiation treatment was an efficient procedure, stimula ting the flowers development and maintaining the vase-life almost as l ong as the controls. The present work concludes that it would be possi ble to use preservative solutions to minimize the damaging effects of the ionizing radiation on chysanthemum cut flowers, maintaining at the same time the disinfestation action of radiation processing.