Pengaruh Konsentrasi dan Jenis Bahan Pembawa (Carrier) KMnO4(Kalium Permanganat) Sebagai Absorban Etilen Terhadap Vase Life Mawar Potong (Rosa hybrida)

Abstract

The role of rose on cut flowers trading was very important. The value of domestic and international cut rose trading on statistical are stable and even rise from year to year. An important problem on cut rose trading is a short vase life, that is about 3-6 days at room temperature, and about 7-8 days at cool temperature (1-50C). Ethylene gas which is released by those roses during their vase life is considered as the source that makes cut rose vase life becoming short. KMnO4 are strong oxidator that can bound the thylene gas. Research about the effect of various concentrations and carriers of KMnO 4 on the vase life of cut rose flowers was done on 28th February 2008 until 20 th March 2008. It took place in a laboratory of Agriculture Faculty, Satya Wacana Christian University, Salatiga.The purpose of this research was to determine the effective concentration and carrier of KMnO4 which prolong the vase life of rose cut flowers. The experimental design on this research was Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), consisting of sixteen treatments and three replications. Those treatments were KMnO4 0,2 M; 0,4 M; 0,6 M; 0,8 M; and 1 M which were combined with 3 kinds of carrier such as zeolit, pumice, and silica gel. The statistical analysis used in this research were the correlation test, the analysis of variance, and the Honestly Significant Difference (HSD) at significant level 5%.The result of this research were:1. KMnO4 as ethylene absorbent affects respiration, maximal blooming day, and the weight loose of cut rose flowers, but has no effect on water content and vase life of cut rose flowers. 2. Various concentrations and carriers of KMnO4 could not able to prolong the vase life of cut rose flowers.