Evaluation, development and postharvest of cut flowers and Vegetatively-propagated plants

The production of cut flowers and unrooted cuttings are similar in that only a portion of the plant shoot is harvested, stored and shipped to the customer. Consequently, cut flowers and cuttings have to be produced in an economically viable system, harvested at the optimum stage, and properly handled, stored and shipped to the customer as both products are highly perishable. In addition, many new cut flower species and cultivars are released each year and need to be evaluated to determine if they are commercially viable. In summary, our project focuses on 1. Evaluating new cut flower species and cultivars, 2. Developing economical production protocols for cut flowers and cuttings, and 3. Determine optimum harvest and postharvest handling methods for cut flowers and cuttings.