AOA AND BA INFLUENCE ON FLORAL DEVELOPMENT AND LONGEVITY OF POTTED VICTORY PARADE MINIATURE ROSE

Miniature rose (Rosa hybrida L. cv. Victory Parade) plants were treate d with AOA, BA, or STS before simulated shipment and display in an int erior environment. Although AOA-treated plants lasted slightly longer than nontreated plants, their postproduction quality, evaluated as flo ral longevity, bud drying, and bud abscission, was not as satisfactory as that of STS- or BA-treated plants. In this ethylene-sensitive cult ivar, BA treatment was almost as satisfactory as STS treatment. Flower s that opened in the greenhouse before shipping lasted longer than tho se that opened in the interior environment room. STS and BA treatments increased the longevity of both flower types. However, these treatmen ts did not eliminate the difference between flowers that opened before or after transport simulation.