Designing of modified atmosphere package for enhancement of postharvest quality of Gladiolus hybridus Hort. spikes

Abstract

Modified atmospheric packaging (MAP) has emerged as a leading postharvest technique to minimize losses and maintain quality of cut products. The present investigation was conducted to design passive MAP for gladiolus spikes to enhance their postharvest life. The harvested spikes (tight bud stage) were packed in low-density polyethylene (LDPE, 150 guage) and polypropylene (PP, 100 gauge) at 5 °C and 10 °C from 4 to 24 days. The MAP design was based on respiration rate and weight of gladiolus spikes, storage temperature, package gas exchange area and desirable in-pack O₂ and CO₂ concentrations (O₂: 3–5%, CO₂: 5–8%). The headspace O₂ and CO₂ concentrations (%) in PP package were, respectively, 5.05 and 7.35 at 5 °C, whereas 4.55 and 8.05 at 10 °C after storage for 8 days. Further, the vase life of spikes in these PP package was 13.86 days after 8 days of storage and declined to 8.86 days after 12 days of storage. The gladiolus spikes packed in PP sleeve (120 cm length, 18 cm width and 50 perforations) could be best stored vertically in cold room (5 ± 0.5 °C) for 10 days with acceptable flower quality and vase life up to 13 days as supported by higher membrane stability index, relative water content, total soluble sugars and proteins, and lower lipid peroxidation. Thus, designed MAP gives a window of 7 days (postharvest life of unpacked spikes 16 days and packed 23 days) for market regulation during glut period to earn remunerative prices without any adverse effect on quality.