JPH1081601A - Freshener for cut flowers - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Problem] To provide a cut flower freshness preserving agent having a high freshness preserving effect and having a long-lasting effect. SOLUTION: A freshness preserving agent for cut flowers containing trehalose and ethanol as active ingredients. The content of trehalose is, for example, 1 to 10% by weight, and the content of ethanol is, for example, 1 to 10% by weight. A method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers, wherein the cut ends of cut flowers are immersed in a freshness maintaining agent for cut flowers containing trehalose and ethanol at an effective concentration for maintaining freshness of cut flowers.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an agent for maintaining freshness of cut flowers and a method for maintaining freshness of cut flowers.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various methods have been proposed to maintain the freshness of cut flowers. In particular, in recent years, attempts have been made to maintain the freshness of cut flowers by adding a cut flower freshness preserving agent composed of a plant hormone agent, a preservative, etc. to water for activating flowers, and various cut flower freshness preserving agents are commercially available. Have been. JP-A-6-227904 proposes a cut flower freshness preserving agent containing trehalose as an active ingredient.

[0003]

However, none of the above-mentioned cut flower freshness preserving agents has a sufficient freshness preserving effect, and it has been desired to develop a cut flower freshness preserving agent having a higher freshness preserving effect. In addition, conventional cut flower freshness preservatives
Although the freshness of the cut flowers was maintained in the vase, it was desired to maintain the freshness during the distribution of the cut flowers or during the delivery for gifts and the like. On the other hand, conventional freshness preservatives
It was generally added to the water in the vase and used as it was without changing the water.However, the freshness could be maintained, but the water became turbid. there were. In addition, when changing water, it is necessary to add a freshness preserving agent again, which is troublesome. Therefore, there has been a demand for a freshness preserving agent which, once applied, maintains its effect even after changing water.

[0004] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a cut flower freshness preserving agent which has a higher freshness preserving effect and has a long-lasting effect. The present inventors have conducted intensive studies in order to achieve such an object, and have found that the use of trehalose and ethanol can remarkably improve the cut flower freshness retaining effect and the sustainability of the cut flower freshness retaining effect. It is thought that such an effect is obtained because ethanol promotes the absorption of trehalose into plants.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a cut flower freshness preserving agent containing trehalose and ethanol as active ingredients. In the present invention, the trehalose content is 1 to 10% by weight, and the ethanol content is 1 to 10% by weight.
The present invention provides a cut flower freshness preservative which is 10% by weight. Also,
The present invention provides a method for maintaining the freshness of cut flowers, characterized by immersing cut ends of cut flowers in a cut flower freshness preserving agent containing trehalose and ethanol at effective concentrations for maintaining cut flower freshness.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide in which two molecules of D-glucose are linked via reducing groups. Depending on the mode of glycosidic bond, (α, α),
There are three isomers (α, β) and (β, β),
Trehalose here refers to the naturally occurring (α, α) form. In addition, trehalose used in the present invention may be in any crystal form, although it may exist in the form of dihydrate crystals, anhydrate crystals and the like. Trehalose used in the present invention may be one produced by organic synthesis or one produced by microbial culture. Ethanol may be produced by a fermentation method or chemically synthesized.

[0007] The cut flower freshness preservative of the present invention can be in a form suitable for use, for example, in the form of a liquid or a paste, and if desired, a form to be contained in a gelling agent such as sodium alginate. Can take. For example, the agent for maintaining freshness of cut flower of the present invention may be in the form of a solution in which trehalose and ethanol are dissolved in water at an effective concentration for maintaining freshness of cut flower. It can also be provided in the form of a concentrated stock solution and diluted to an effective concentration for maintaining cut flower freshness to the end user. In the present invention, the effective concentration for maintaining cut flower freshness is a concentration of trehalose and ethanol that is effective for maintaining freshness of cut flowers for a long period of time, and varies depending on the type of flower, the environment in which cut flowers are held, and the like. Usually, the concentration of trehalose is 1 to 10% by weight, preferably 3 to 9% by weight, and the concentration of ethanol is 1%.
It is 10 to 10% by weight, preferably 1 to 5% by weight.

Further, the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention may contain additives such as other cut flower freshness preserving components, if necessary. Examples of such cut flower freshness-retaining components include sodium hypochlorite, fungicides such as copper sulfate, amino acids such as ethionine or norleucine, nutrients such as phosphoric acid, and growth regulators such as benzyladenine. Can be

The cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention can cut the cut flower for a certain period of time, for example, 1 to 120 hours, preferably 20 to 120 hours.
It can be applied by soaking for 48 hours. In addition, the whole cut flower or the portion excluding the petals of the cut flower is added to the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention for a short time, for example, for 1 second to 10 minutes, preferably 5 to 10 minutes.
It is also possible to soak for 10 minutes or to spray the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention on the whole cut flowers. For the purpose of maintaining the freshness of the cut flowers used in the vase, the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention or a diluent thereof is put into a vase using the cut flowers, and the cut end of the cut flower is immersed in the agent. The cut flowers may be kept alive in the cut flower freshness preserving agent or a diluent thereof, or after soaking for a certain time, may be replaced with ordinary water (containing no cut flower freshness preserving agent).

For the purpose of maintaining freshness during distribution or delivery of cut flowers, the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention may be applied to cut flowers before spraying or dipping before distribution or delivery. good. Further, the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention may be applied to cut flowers by the method of immersion, spraying and the like described above in a flower shop for the purpose of keeping freshness. The cut flowers to which the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention is applied may be of any kind, for example, rose, chrysanthemum, snapdragon, azalea, denfare, cymbidium, orchid,
Eustoma, stock, lily, gypsophila and the like.

The cut flower freshness preserving method of the present invention is characterized by immersing a cut flower cut in a cut flower freshness preserving agent containing trehalose and ethanol at an effective concentration for maintaining cut flower freshness. Immersion time is usually 1 to 120 hours, preferably,
20-48 hours. In addition to the immersion treatment, as described above, the cut flower freshness-retaining agent of the present invention is sprayed on the whole cut flower, or the whole cut flower or the portion excluding the cut flower petals is short-term of the present invention. May be immersed. The cut flower to which the cut flower freshness retaining method of the present invention is applied has an effect that its freshness is retained even when it is immersed in water containing no freshness retaining agent.

[0012]

The present invention will be further described below with reference to examples. Example 1: The present invention using red rose (variety: hybrid tea), pink rose (variety: Floribunda), and yellow rose (variety: climbing rose) and containing 3% by weight of trehalose and 3% by weight of ethanol in water The cut flower freshness preserving agent was tested for freshness preserving effect as follows. Cut the stem of each cut flower of the same degree of freshness and growth at 30 cm below the petals in water so that the cut surface is perpendicular to the stem, and immerse the upper 10 cm from the cut into 50 ml of the cut flower freshness retaining agent Then, after leaving it for 20 hours in a room kept at a temperature of 24-26 ° C. and a humidity of 70-80% and out of direct sunlight, replace it with 50 ml of water and leave it in the same room as above for 3 days. Was observed for freshness. For comparison, each cut flower was treated in the same manner as described above except that water was used instead of the cut flower freshness preservative, and the freshness was observed.

The cut flowers treated with the above-mentioned cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention maintained the freshness of the roses of any color without collapsing the petals. Discolored and shrunk.

Example 2: As a cut flower, instead of a rose,
White chrysanthemum (variety: White Star), yellow chrysanthemum (variety: Golden Zem), purple chrysanthemum (variety: Red Zem)
The freshness preserving effect was tested in the same manner as described above, except that the period of taking out from the cut flower freshness preserving agent and leaving it in water was 6 days. The comparative test was performed in the same manner as described above. Cut flowers treated with the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention,
The chrysanthemums of all colors maintained the freshness without breaking the petals, but the chrysanthemums treated only with water disturbed the petals, discolored and shrunk.

Example 3 Snapdragon (color: red, variety:
(Flowal) using the test solutions shown in Table 1 below.
The freshness retention effect was tested as follows. The stems of each cut flower with similar freshness and growth are cut so that the cut surface is perpendicular to the stem.
Cut in water at a position 15 cm below the petals, immerse the upper 5 cm from the cut in 10 ml of each test solution, and keep it at a temperature of 20 to 30 ° C. and a humidity of 70 to 80% without direct sunlight. It was left in the room for 14 days. Day 7 and 1
On the fourth day, the freshness of each cut flower was observed. The results are shown in Table 1 below.
Shown in

[0016]

[Table 1]

The evaluation in the table is based on the following criteria. 1 axis completely collapses, petals shrink 2 axes tilt, petals are slightly wilted 3 no change From the table, higher freshness retention effect was obtained when trehalose and ethanol were used together than when only trehalose was used. It is clear that it can be obtained.

Example 4: As cut flowers, red azaleas (variety: Yamatakishima) and white azaleas (variety: azalea) are used, and trehalose and / or ethanol are contained in water at the concentrations shown in Tables 2 and 3 below. The test solution was tested for its freshness retention effect. Cut the stem of each cut flower with similar freshness and growth at a position 2 cm below the petal in water so that the cut surface is perpendicular to the stem, and cut 1 cm from the cut.
cm was immersed in 5 ml of the cut flower freshness preserving agent, and left in a room maintained at a temperature of 24 to 28 ° C and a humidity of 70 to 80%, out of direct sunlight, for 10 days. Day 7 and 1
On day 0, the freshness of each cut flower was observed. The results for white azaleas are shown in Table 2 below, and the results for red azaleas are shown in Table 3 below.

[0019]

[Table 2] The evaluation in the table is based on the following criteria. 1 Petals are completely withered and shrunk, stamens and pistils are completely collapsed 2 Petals are withered, stamens and pistils are almost collapsed 3 Petals are withered around 4 Little change

[0020]

[Table 3] The evaluation in the table is based on the following criteria. 1 Petals are completely withered, discolored and shrunk, and stamens and pistils are completely collapsed 2 Petals are withered, discolored and stamens and pistils are inclined 3 Petals are discolored pink 4 Little change Table shows that only trehalose was used. Compared to the case, it is apparent that a higher freshness retaining effect can be obtained when trehalose and ethanol are used in combination.

Example 5: Roses (color: red, cultivar: hybrid tea) having the same growth state and freshness state were used.
A test solution containing trehalose and / or ethanol in water at the concentrations shown in Table 4 below was tested for its freshness retention effect. Two cut flowers were used for each test solution. The stem of each cut flower is cut in water at a position 30 cm below the petals so that the cut surface is perpendicular to the stem, and 10 c above the cut.
m in 50 ml of each test liquid, and
It was left for 20 hours in a room maintained at 6 ° C. and a humidity of 70 to 80% and out of direct sunlight. Then, it was removed from the test solution, replaced with 50 ml of water, and left in the same room as above for 4 days, and the freshness of each cut flower was observed. Two flowers treated with the same test solution had similar freshness. Table 4 shows the results
Shown in

[0022]

[Table 4] The evaluation of freshness shown in the table is based on the following criteria. 1 Petals shrink extremely and leaves shrink 2 Petals shrink 3 Petals are disturbed 4 Petals are maintained neat From the table, using the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention containing trehalose and ethanol, maintains cut flower freshness It is clear that, even when immersed in the agent and replaced with water, a significantly higher freshness-retaining effect can be obtained than when only trehalose is used.

Example 6: A cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention using roses (color: pink, cultivar: Floribunda) having the same growth state and freshness state and containing 3% of trehalose and 3% of ethanol in water. The freshness retention effect was tested as follows. For each test, two cut flowers were used. The stem of each cut flower is cut in water at a position 30 cm below the petal so that the cut surface is perpendicular to the stem, and the cut flower is cut 1 mm above the cut.
0 cm was immersed in 50 ml of the cut flower freshness preserving agent, and this was maintained at a temperature of 24 to 26 ° C. and a humidity of 70 to 80%.
After being left in a room where direct sunlight does not enter for the time shown in Table 5 below, it was replaced with 50 ml of water and left in the same room as above. Five days after cutting the cut flowers, the freshness of each was evaluated. Table 5 shows the results.

[0024]

[Table 5] The evaluation of freshness shown in the table is based on the following criteria. 1 Petals shrink extremely and leaves shrink 2 Petals shrink 3 Petals are disturbed 4 Petals are maintained neatly

[0025]

The cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention has a remarkably high freshness preserving effect on cut flowers, so that the freshness of cut flowers can be kept effective for a long period of time. In addition, since the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention maintains the freshness preserving effect even after application, it is possible to prevent a decrease in freshness during distribution or delivery, and to replace water when used in a vase. It is possible to save the trouble of adding a freshness preserving agent each time. Further, trehalose and ethanol, which are the active ingredients of the cut flower freshness preserving agent of the present invention, are both substances that can be applied to foods, and thus have high safety in use.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A cut flower freshness preserving agent comprising trehalose and ethanol as active ingredients. 2. The trehalose content is 1 to 10% by weight.
The freshener of cut flowers according to claim 1, wherein the content of ethanol is 1 to 10% by weight. 3. A method for preserving cut flower freshness, comprising immersing a cut flower cut in a cut flower freshness preserving agent containing trehalose and ethanol at an effective concentration for maintaining cut flower freshness.