Postharvest Biotechnology of Flowers and Ornamental Plants

This is a comprehensive account of the nature and extent of postharvest losses and their causes, due to the physiology of plant growth, senescence and disorders as well as postharvest diseases and pests. The contribution of biotechnology to the reduction of postharvest losses in a wide range of commercially important flowers, foliage and ornamental plants is particular emphasized. Background information on botany, commercial cultivars grown, physiology and biochemistry of individual crops during growth and senescence is provided for a better understanding of their postharvest behavior.

The floricultural industry has been undergoing an unprecedented revolu- tion in terms of the type of commodity produced and the production and marketing technology in both developed and developing countries. As a result of this revolution, as we know today, there is a flower for every purpose and for every person in the world, as is evident from the slogan of the Society for American Florists: "say it with flowers." In re- cent years, the Latin American and European countries have become sizeable competitors for the North American fresh flower markets and the trend continues growing. Like any other crop production, floricultural production can be divided into three basic factors: (1) production costs (2) quality (3) transportation costs. All these must be optimum for this area or industry to be safe from competition. With increasing consumer awareness and the current recession, the pressure from the artificial floral products in- dustry and also of neighbouring countries on the American fresh flower industry, and continued competition even amongst the growers, whole- salers and retailers, quality in floricultural industry is becoming increas- ingly important to all those concerned with handling these products. The visual quality aspects of the product are the sole determiner of consumer acceptability in this industry and, unlike fruits and vegetables, flowers cannot be marketed by just discarding the damaged portion.