Flower Quality in Roses (Rosa Hybrida) Sprayed with Ascorbic Acid

Colombia is a country recognized for its variety of fresh flowers for export, among which roses represent a significant quantity. However, cut flowers must meet some quality requirements imposed by the international market. Ascorbic acid in living organisms has an extensive function as a free radical scavenger; therefore, it reduces the negative effects of oxidative stress. It is also involved in the biosynthesis of several hormones, has many functions in chloroplasts, and is a fundamental compound for the correct functioning of the photosynthetic apparatus. The exogenous application of ascorbic acid improves the quality and nutritional value of agricultural products and induces stress resistance in plants. A greenhouse study was carried out in Cota, Colombia, with the objective of improving the quality of rose flowers by spraying ascorbic acid in concentrations of 0.0 (control), 600, and 1200 mg L-1 in the Escimo, Latin Beauty, and Freedom cultivars. In response to the spraying, an increase in stem length and stem thickness was observed in all cultivars which was directly proportional to the concentration of ascorbic acid applied. There was no clear trend found in the response of cultivars to ascorbate regarding head size and chlorophyll content (SPAD) since in some cultivars, the values of these variables increased or decreased with statistically significant differences. As a result, spraying with ascorbic acid significantly improves some components of the quality of rose cut flowers, even though the response is highly dependent on the cultivar.

Automated summary

Colombia is known for its variety of fresh flowers for export, with roses being a significant portion. A study in Colombia found that spraying roses with ascorbic acid can improve their quality, particularly in terms of stem length and thickness.