*Corresponding author: sangitadas73@yahoo.com SHORT COMMUNICATION STUDIES ON POST HARVEST LIFE OF CUT ANTHURIUM FLOWERS SANGITA DAS 1 , PREETI HATIBARUA 2 AND RANJAN DAS 1 1 Department of Crop Physiology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, Assam 2 Horticultural Research Station (AAU), Kahikuchi, P.O. Azara, Guwahati, Assam Received on 7 th December, 2011, Revised and accepted on 20 th April, 2012 An experiment was conducted to study the post harvest life of two anthurium cultivars viz. Sunset Orange and Agnihotri. Studies involved pulsing of anthurium cut flowers with 10 chemicals, out of which maximum vase life in terms of spadix drying, spathe blueing and loss of spathe glossiness was observed in 100 ppm BA. All the pulsing treatments showed improved water uptake over control, maximum uptake was observed in 4% sucrose, followed by 500 ppm AgNO 3 . In the holding solution experiment, 100 ppm citric acid + 5% sucrose showed significantly higher vase life in terms of spadix drying, spathe blueing and loss of spathe glossiness. Maximum water uptake was observed in flowers held in 5% sucrose. In the cold treatment experiment, precooling treatment at 15 o C for 4 hours resulted in maximum vase life in terms of spadix drying, spathe blueing and loss of glossiness Key words: Anthurium, cold treatment, pulsing, vase life Indian J. Plant Physiol. , Vol. 17, No. 2, (N.S.) pp. 170-174 (April-June, 2012) Anthurium ( Anthurium andreanum Lind.) cut flower is highly in demand worldwide due to its stylish, exotic and long-lasting heart shaped spathe. In India, cut anthurium flowers are widely used in bouquets and flower arrangements. Anthurium is commercially cultivated in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Sikkim, Maharastra and pockets of North Eastern parts of India. Though the postharvest life of cut anthurium flowers depends on its genetic constitution and some cultural practices as well, there are some chemicals that are able to extend the post harvest life of cut flowers up to a certain extent (Salvi et al. 1997). Flowers growers in Assam are unaware of proper technology regarding increasing the vase life and storage of cut flowers thereby experience low income. Hence an experiment was conducted to enhance the post harvest life of cut anthurium flowers by means of some floral preservative chemicals in pulsing and holding solution and also by giving some cold treatments prior to holding. Two anthurium cultivars viz. Agnihotri and Sunset Orange were taken to study the post harvest life of cut anthurium flowers in the month of March. The anthurium flowers were grown under shade net where the solar photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) ∼500- μmol m -2 s -1 was recorded. The experiment was laid in a completely randomized design (CRD) with factorial treatment combinations consisting of three replications. Fresh anthurium cut flowers with physiologically active long stalks (12-15 inches) were harvested from different plants for each treatment before 10.00 AM and then dipped in water and brought to the laboratory in the month of March. Each stalk was cut at 1 cm just before pulsing. 10 pulsing treatments (Table 1) were given for 15 minutes. The treated flowers were transferred to conical flasks containing double-distilled water. The