Effect of Coconut Water on the Vase Life

of
J. Magbanua, M. Mangaoang, K. Manuel, and Y. Molao
ABSTRACT
This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of coconut water on the vase life of
cut chrysanthemum flowers and to determine the right maturity of coconut water to be used as
holding solution for chrysanthemum. The cut chrysanthemum flowers were treated in different
holding solutions that were replicated three times. The flowers were assessed daily according in
the visual quality rating scale given. Flowers treated in 100 mL TW + 50 mL MCW recorded the
longest vase life (11 days) compared with the control and other treatments. Therefore, 100 mL
TW + 50 mL MCW has the potential to be used as preservative medium for chrysanthemum cut
flowers.
INTRODUCTION
Chrysanthemum with the scientific
name of Chrysanthemum morifolium L.
belongs to Asteraceae family and about 30
species of annual and perennial herbaceous,
aroma woody and semi-woody exists around
the world (Peyvandi et al., 2010).
Chrysanthemum is ranked as the second
most economically important cut flower in
the world, after rose (Kafi and Ghahsareh,
2009).
Cut flowers are precious products of
horticulture. Maintaining good quality of cut
flowers and extending the vase life, are
considered important and practical for
having acceptable products for the markets.
For this reason, a considerable number of
studies have been undertaken for this
purpose. (Redman, et al, 2002; Macnish et
al, 2008 and Solgi et al, 2009, Zencirkiran,
2005; Zencirkiran, 2010).
Cut flowers are short-lived and is
prone to rapid deterioration, thus, shortening
the maximum vase life. Short vase life of cut
flowers could be attributed to destroy
transport vessels of the stem after cutting,
hence, inability of the stem to absorb water
due to blockage leading to excessive water
loss and short supply of carbohydrates to
support respiration. Furthermore, the quality
of the water in which the flowers are dip
after harvest, is known to affect the keeping
or vase life quality of the flowers
(Kelegama, 2001).

Several methods have already been

developed to prolong the storage life of
fruits and vegetables. One simple way is the
use of coconut water technically known as
liquid endosperm which is believed to be
having auxins, cytokinins, gibberellins, and
sugar alcohol like myoinositol. Its auxin
component is found to delay ripening of the
fruits while cytokinin delays leaf senescence
(Nair et al., 2000).
This experiment was designed to
evaluate the effect of coconut water on the
vase life of cut chrysanthemum flowers and
to determine the right maturity of coconut
water as the source of water to be used as
holding solution for chrysanthemum.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Plant Material
Cut
flowers
of
identified
Chrysanthemum were procured from
Kisante, Makilala. They were harvested in
the early morning when outer petals were
fully extended (Kafi and Ghahsareh, 2009).
Cut flowers were trimmed to 30 cm and
were placed in prepared solutions.
Experiment Design and Treatments
A Completely Randomized Design
(CRD) was used with seven treatments
replicated three times. The treatments were
as follows:
Volume of Water + Coconut Water

A
B
C
D
E
F
G

150 mL TW
100 mL TW + 50 mL YCW
50 mL TW + 100 mL YCW
150 mL pure YCW
100 mL TW + 50 mL MCW
50 mL TW + 100 mL MCW
150 mL pure MCW

Fair,Moderate Defects
(26-50% wilting and
drying)
Poor, Serious Defects
(51-75%)
Unfit for Decoration

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Legend:
TW - Tap Water
YCW - Young Coconut Water
MCW - Mature Coconut Water

Table 1. Visual quality rating (VQR) of

chrysanthemum flower kept in
holding solutions containing coconut
water of different stages of maturity

The young (6 months old) and

mature coconut (12 months old) were
harvested from Malabuan, Makilala using a
sharp bolo. Water from the nut was
separately poured into respective containers,
and kept properly. This was done at the start
of the experiment.

Days
in
Storage

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

9.0

7.7

7.7

9.0

7.7

8.3

9.0

7.7

6.3

6.3

7.7

6.3

7.0

8.3

6.3

4.3

4.3

6.3

4.3

7.0

8.3

4.3

3.7

3.0

4.3

4.3

5.0

8.3

2.3

2.3

1.0

2.3

2.3

3.7

6.3

2.0

2.0

1.0

1.0

1.7

4.3

1.0

1.0

1.0

2.3

The different holding solutions were

prepared using a graduated cylinder and
equal volume of each solution was placed in
each bottles.
Flowers were placed in the water
buckets during transport to minimize the
transport stress on flowers. In your setup,
flowers were immediately dipped in the
water bath and the distal ends were recut to
have stem length of 30 cm (Zencirkiran,
2005).
Prior to the treatment, the basal stem
of the cutflowers were cut into uniform
length. Then, the test materials were inserted
into individual bottles containing the
treatment.

10
11

Rating Scale

Description
-

Excellent, No Defects
Good, Slight Defects
(1-25% wilting)

1.0

As shown in Table 1, the flowers

treated with different coconut water
concentration showed increase in vase life
compared to flowers treated with the control
(in tap water).
Figure 1. Trend of VQR shown in a graph.
10
9
8
Visual Quality Rating

Visual Quality Rating (VQR). The

VQR was taken daily until the termination
of the experiment. The following rating
scales were used:

Treatment

Data Gathered

9
7

6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1

5
Days

The figure above shows inverse

proportional relationship between the days
of emergence in treatment and its VQR.

that there is a significant difference between

treatments, which means that a post-hoc test
is required.

Statistical Analysis

It was well defined that the vase life

of chrysanthemum cut flowers depend on
the treatment given to them (Paull and
Chantrachit, 2001).

VQR
Duncan
Treatments

Subset for alpha = 0.05

1

7.00

5.5000

6.00

6.1667

3.00

6.2000

1.00

6.3000

6.3000

4.00

6.4333

6.4333

2.00

6.6333

6.6333

5.00

7.0000

Sig.

1.000

.189

.053

Therefore, flowers lose their ability

to draw water from the vase solution
resulting vase life reduction.

Means for groups in homogeneous subsets are

displayed.
a. Uses Harmonic Mean Sample Size = 3.000.

Duncan Multiple Range Test was

done to determine the significant differences
between treatments. Treatments that are
grouped together means that there is no
significant difference between these
treatments. Since Treatment 7 (control) was
not grouped with the others, meaning it is
incomparable with the other treatments.
Treatments 6, 3, 1, 4, and 2 are grouped
together, meaning that they are comparable
to each other, same goes to Treatments 1, 4,
2, and 5. But assessing the mean, Treatment
5 is the best treatment.
ANOVA
VQR
Sum of

df

Mean

Squares
Between
Groups
Within
Groups
Total

Sig.

Square

3.852

1.980

14

5.832

20

.642 4.540

And was well documented that

coconut water contains auxins, gibberilins
and cytokinins (Mamaril et al., 1986). In
addition, coconut contains lot of reducing
sugars (Jayalekshmy et al., 1986). It
provides favourable environment for the
growth of bacteria on cut surface of the
flower stalk and thereby block water
conducting tissues.

.009

.141

Since p=0.009 is less than the level

of significance =0.05, the hypothesis that
states that there is no significant difference
between treatments is rejected. This means

CONCLUSION
In this study, flowers kept in 100 mL
TW plus 50 mL MCW manifested signs of
decline in visual quality only after 4 days in
storage thereby having the longest
postharvest life of 11 days. In contrast, the
flowers held in tap water (control) showed
noticeable decline after 3 days consequently
resulting in a postharvest life of 8 days.
The result further indicates that
keeping flowers in 100 mL TW plus 50 mL
MCW was effective in prolonging the
postharvest life of chrysanthemum flowers.
This supports the study of Agampodi
and Jayawardena (2007), that coconut water
from old nuts had been effectively used to
extend the vase life of cut flowers.

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