JPH0892003A - Method for maintaining freshness of cut flowers and cut flowers using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [Purpose] To provide a method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers that can be a permanent measure against wilting, and cut flowers using the same. [Structure] A method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers, which comprises forming a coating layer on the surface of all or part of the cut flowers by coating all or part of the cut flowers with a film forming agent. In an embodiment, the coating agent to be coated is a water-soluble polymer compound or a natural polymer compound, and the coating layer is composed of an inner layer made of a natural polymer compound and a synthetic material. A two-layer coating with an outer layer made of a polymer compound, the above-mentioned coating agent containing a freshness-retaining agent for cut flowers added to the coating agent to be coated, and the freshness-retaining agent for cut flowers mainly containing silver thiosulfate. Examples include the above-mentioned drug, and the above-mentioned drug in which the cut flower freshness-preserving drug contains an antibacterial substance.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method capable of maintaining the freshness of cut flowers for a long period of time and a cut flower using the method.
In particular, the present invention relates to a method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers by, for example, preventing the evaporation of water and suppressing the respiratory rate by coating the surface of cut flowers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art The most important problem in maintaining the freshness of cut flowers is the occurrence of wilting due to the loss of water. It is the petals that start to wither away due to the loss of water, which causes the cut flowers to lose their commercial value. Therefore, various measures have been conventionally taken to prevent wilting. For example, cutting flowers can be inserted into a bucket filled with water and then transported as is.More recently, a water retention member has been installed on the bottom of a cardboard box, and the cut flowers can be inserted there to transport the cut flowers. There are also devised methods of transporting the product by covering it with a water retention agent.

However, in bucket transportation, the loading method is limited, and the weight is increased, so that the transportation efficiency is significantly deteriorated. Further, the use of the water retention agent has a problem that it takes time and effort when packaging and attaching the water retention agent, and the cost of the water retention agent increases. In addition, all of these methods are only measures for transportation, not permanent measures for preventing wilting. In other words, when transportation is finished and they are lined up in stores or actually displayed, it is necessary to jug again.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to maintain the freshness of cut flowers, which can solve the above problems and can be a permanent measure against wilting. And to provide a cut flower using the same.

[0005]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a cut flower which forms a coating layer on the surface of all or part of the cut flower by coating all or part of the cut flower with a coating agent. This is a method of maintaining the freshness of. In an embodiment, the coating agent to be coated is a water-soluble polymer compound or a natural polymer compound, and the coating layer is composed of an inner layer made of a natural polymer compound and a synthetic material. A two-layer coating with an outer layer made of a polymer compound, the above-mentioned coating agent containing a freshness-retaining agent for cut flowers added to the coating agent to be coated, and the freshness-retaining agent for cut flowers mainly containing silver thiosulfate. Examples include the above-mentioned drug, and the above-mentioned drug in which the cut flower freshness-preserving drug contains an antibacterial substance. Further, the present invention is a cut flower treated by using the above-mentioned cut flower freshness retention method.

The details will be described below. The part of cut flowers here means to coat only the leaves with the most transpiration, or to coat only the petals.

The coating agent to be coated is preferably a water-soluble polymer compound (called a water-soluble plastic) rather than a polymer compound using an organic solvent as a solvent in order to reduce damage to cut flowers. Also,
The coating agent to be coated may be a natural polymer compound such as animal or plant or seaweed extract agar, pullulan, carrageenan, gelatin, tannin, calcium alginate and the like. In this case, the coating agent causes less damage to the cut flowers.

Furthermore, the coating layer may be a two-layer coating in which the inner layer is made of a natural polymer compound and the outer layer is made of a synthetic polymer compound. In this case, since the cut natural flowers are protected by the natural polymer compound in the interior, the degree of freedom in selecting the polymer compound in the exterior is increased.

Further, a freshness-keeping agent for cut flowers may be added to the coating agent for coating. As a result, a synergistic freshness-retaining effect of the freshness-retaining agent can be obtained in addition to the effect of preventing wilting. Examples of the freshness-keeping agent to be added include a drug containing silver thiosulfate as a main component and a drug containing an antibacterial substance.

[0010]

The method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers of the present invention is to coat all or part of the cut flowers with a film-forming agent.
Prevents evaporation of water and prevents wilting. Further, by using a water-soluble polymer as the film-forming agent and further using a natural polymer compound, the damage that the film-forming agent gives to the cut flowers can be further reduced. Furthermore, by adding a freshness-retaining agent for cut flowers to the above-mentioned film forming agent, a synergistic freshness-retaining effect of the freshness-retaining agent can be obtained in accordance with the effect of preventing wilting.

[0011]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be shown below. <Example 1> Aromatic polyester aqueous solution (concentration 30%, pH 6
~ 8) was sprayed with a mist sprayer and applied, and then left at room temperature for one day and dried to form a film on the entire surface of the cut flowers.

<Example 2> Aromatic polyester aqueous solution (concentration 30%, pH 6-8) was sprayed on the surface and cut portion of cut flowers of roses and carnations with a mist sprayer, and then left at room temperature overnight. It was dried to form a film on the surface of cut flowers.

<Example 3> A calcium alginate aqueous solution (mixing a 1.5% alginic acid solution and a 1% calcium chloride solution) containing chitosan was sprayed on a surface of cut flowers of roses and carnations by a sprayer and applied to room temperature. It was left to dry overnight to form a film on the entire cut flowers.

<Example 4> An aqueous calcium alginate solution (mixing a 1.5% alginic acid solution and a 1% calcium chloride solution) containing chitosan and silver thiosulfate was sprayed and applied on the surface of cut flowers of roses and carnations. rear,
After being dried at room temperature for one day and night, and further sprayed with an aromatic polyester aqueous solution (concentration 30%, pH 6 to 8) with a mist sprayer, it is again allowed to stand at room temperature for one day and dried to make the entire surface of the cut flowers. A two layer coating was formed.

Cut flowers of roses and carnations, which were coated as in Examples 1 to 4 above, were left in a cool dark place at the same time as the untreated ones to compare their freshness retention states. The results are shown in (Table 1) and (Table 2).

[0016]

[Table 1]

[0017]

[Table 2]

[0018]

As described above, according to the method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers according to the present invention, by forming a coating layer on the surface of cut flowers, the freshness is maintained for 3 to 14 days or more as compared with the untreated one. The period can be extended. The cut flowers treated by this method can be kept fresh not only during transportation, but also during the entire distribution until storage at stores or decoration and use by consumers.

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers, which comprises forming a coating layer on the surface of all or some of the cut flowers by coating all or some of the cut flowers with a film-forming agent. 2. The method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers according to claim 1, wherein the coating agent to be coated is a water-soluble polymer compound. 3. The method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers according to claim 1, wherein the coating agent to be coated is a natural polymer compound. 4. The method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers according to claim 1, wherein the coating layer is a two-layer coating including an inner layer made of a natural polymer compound and an outer layer made of a synthetic polymer compound. 5. The method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers according to claim 1, wherein a chemical agent for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers is added to the film agent to be coated. 6. The method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers according to claim 5, wherein the cut flower freshness-maintaining agent is a drug whose main component is silver thiosulfate. 7. The method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers according to claim 5, wherein the cut flower freshness-maintaining agent is a drug containing an antibacterial substance. 8. A cut flower treated by using any one of claims 1 to 7.