Abstract
The effect of benzalkonium chloride (surfactant) on hydration of cut stocks (Matthiola incana (L.) R. Br.) was examined. Freshly harvested stock flowers were held in tap water (control) or 20, 100, 200 or 1000 ppm benzalkonium chloride solution. Treatment with benzalkonium chloride at a concentration of 200 ppm or higher increased the fresh weights of cut stocks, compared to the control. When cut stocks were placed in tap water with a depth of 1, 2 and 4 cm, increase in fresh weights was suppressed with decreasing water depth. However, benzalkonium chloride treatments increased fresh weights regardless of the depth of solution. Cut stocks were treated with benzalkonium chloride for 4 h, were packed in a corrugated cardboard box, then left for 18 h (transportation simulation). Thereafter the cut stocks were put in a vase. In the control (tap water), fresh weights of cut stocks did not increase without cutting their basal parts, but benzalkonium chloride treatments increased their fresh weights without cutting. These findings show that pulse treatment with benzalkonium chloride improves the hydration of cut stocks.
