Evaluation of Alternative Substrates on Growth and Keeping Quality of Heliconia psittacorum L. Cut Flowers

Abstract

This study evaluated the impact of alternative substrates on the growth and postharvest performance of Heliconia psittacorum L., with the aim of optimizing cultivation media and assessing the effects of sucrose-based preservatives on cut flower quality. Conducted over two periods, the research involved pot and vase-life experiments arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) for six growth media: Decomposed Oil Palm Stems (DOS), Top Soil + Chicken Manure (TS + CM) (1:1), Top Soil + Coconut Fibre (TS + CF) (1:1), River Sand + Chicken Manure (RS + CM) (1:1), River Sand + Coconut Fibre (RS + CF) (1:1), and Clayey Soil (CS) as the control. Additionally, a completely randomized design (CRD) was used to test four sucrose treatments (0%, 10%, 15%, 20%) w/v in vase-life studies. Among the substrates, DOS supported the fastest sprouting (3.9–5.2 weeks), RS + CM resulted in the highest sprout density, TS + CF led to the earliest flowering (161.0 days), and TS + CM promoted superior vegetative growth. Substrate effects on biomass accumulation, stem girth, and chlorophyll content varied among the two growing periods under study. In vase-life trials, 0% sucrose (distilled water) consistently outperformed sucrose treatments in fresh weight retention, vase solution uptake, and flower longevity, particularly in the first experiment. Higher sucrose levels, especially at 20%, accelerated respiration rates, while moderate concentrations showed inconsistent effects on flower metabolism, with visual quality and physiological responses differing across experiments. The findings indicate that agricultural waste such as Top Soil + Chicken Manure can serve as effective cultivation media for higher vegetative growth of Heliconia psittacorum in Ghana, whereas 0% sucrose may be sufficient, and if there is a need to add sucrose, a 10% sucrose concentration will be sufficient for improving cut flower postharvest quality and cut flower longevity.