FloraLife® Rose Enhancer: Enhance the consumer’s experience with your roses with this farm level hydration supplement.

Research Update, powered by FloraLife
Garry Legnani, Ph.D. – Senior Postharvest Scientist, FloraLife

Introduction
FloraLife® Rose Enhancer is a unique hydration solution supplement supporting the natural development of roses. The technology helps reduce petal bluing, promotes natural opening and color retention, and in some cultivars, reduces petal browning associated with senescence. FloraLife® Rose Enhancer provides an opportunity for the grower to directly and positively impact the consumer’s experience with their roses, leading to an enhanced experience. The treatment is applied at farm level at 1 ml per 1 L of hydration solution. When the roses are continually treated by FloraLife® storage and feeding solutions throughout the distribution chain, maximum benefits are enjoyed. In this research update, we present data of our screening of Colombian rose cultivars with this unique treatment.

Methods
From 2019 to 2020, we completed 18 separate flower tests utilizing 10 different Colombian grown rose cultivars. Flowers were obtained dry packed directly from the farms and were subjected to the following treatment protocol:

  1. Stems were recut and given an 8-hour pulse in the following solutions in a flower cooler (2 °C / 35.6 °F)
    a. FloraLife® Express 100 (2 ml/L)
    b. FloraLife® Express 100 (2 ml/L) + FloraLife® Rose Enhancer (1 ml/L)
  2. Stems were moved (without re-cut) to FloraLife® Express 200 storage solution for 72 hours in a flower cooler (2 °C / 35.6 °F)
  3. Stems were sized and placed in vases filled with FloraLife® Express 300 flower food solution for consumer vase life evaluation (21 °C / 70 °F)

Vase life (days) and flower diameter (day 5) was determined, and photos were taken on day 7.

Results:
FloraLife® Rose Enhancer’s effect on vase life were cultivar dependent, ranging from an additional 0.2 days with ‘Jessika’ to 6.4 days with ‘High and Exotic’. When averaged over all cultivars, FloraLife® Rose Enhancer showed a vase life increase of 2.4 days. FloraLife® Rose Enhancer’s effect on flower diameter (day 5) ranged from an additional 0.4 cm with ‘Pink Floyd’ to 1.5 cm with ‘Freedom’ and ‘High and Exotic’. When averaged over all cultivars, FloraLife® Rose Enhancer increased stem diameter by 1 cm.

Conclusion:
FloraLife® Rose Enhancer treatment followed by storage in FloraLife® Express 200 and vases of FloraLife® Express 300 increased vase life and flower opening of Colombian-grown roses. The average result of the 18 different flower tests and the 10 Colombian rose cultivars that were evaluated showed that FloraLife® Rose Enhancer increased vase life by 2.4 days and flower diameter (day 5) by 1 cm.

To find out more about FloraLife® Rose Enhancer or the availability in your region, contact your local FloraLife representative or email [email protected].

*Product availability depends upon geographical region, not available in North America and Europe.