Cut roses often have a short vase life due to water stress and ethylene damage under unfavorable postharvest conditions. In this study, we investigated the effect of various pretreatment solutions on the vase life and postharvest quality of the cut rose cultivar ‘Jinny’ (Rosa hybrida L.). Cut roses were pretreated with eight different preservative solutions for 10 hours: aluminum sulfate (AS), Chrysal (CHR), FloraLife (FLR), lysosome (LYS), MS-1 (MS1), MS-2 (MS2), silver n itrate ( SN), a nd s ilver t hiosulfate ( STS). We found that pretreatment with all solutions except LYS prolonged the vase life and improved the postharvest quality of the cut roses. Among these, STS was the most effective pretreatment solution, significantly extending the vase life from 11.8 days (control) to 19.9 days, retaining the initial fresh weight and a positive water balance for longer, and inhibiting microbial growth in the vase. STS also enhanced the water uptake rate, and maintained the high chlorophyll and soluble sucrose contents in the leaves of the cut rose flowers. In addition, we found that MS1 and MS2, which are natural plant extracts, had strong antimicrobial effects and consequently prolonged the vase life of cut roses by more than 4 days compared with the control. Therefore, MS1 and MS2 can be considered as alternative preservatives in the cut flower industry.

The purpose of the study was to reveal positive psychological and therapeutic horticultural factors that improve the quality of life for elderly women. After IRB certification, we recruited 40 elderly (over age 65) women from Ilsan Presbyterian Church who volunteered to join this study during July and August 2016. They were divided into 2 groups of 20 (control and experimental). The experimental group was subjected to eight weeks’ positive horticultural therapeutic programs with such content as the ‘making of dry-flower name tags, earthenware flowerpots, flavor pockets, flower arrangements in cups, dry-flower fans, flower baskets, grass dolls, and praise bouquets.’ No treatment was given for the control group. Afterwards, evaluation was conducted via a questionnaire for such characteristics as self-respect, satisfaction, personality and talent. The data were collected and analysed by use of ‘SPSS version 21.0 program’. Much higher scores were revealed in the experimental group after 8 weeks’ horticultural therapy in comparison with the control group. Most of the high scores were in areas related to “Self-Respect Among the Elderly Women,” such as ‘self-confidence, cooperative mind, optimistic mind, satisfaction, self-respect, presence, positive outlook, accomplishment, and sense of excellence’(p＜0.01). Also for the experimental group, there were high level scores in the items of the “Satisfaction with Elderly Women’s Lives,” such as with ‘sense of regret, sense of failure, boredom/tedium, sense of fatigue, suffering, anger and annoyance, sense of dissatisfaction, melancholy, and despair,’ after 8 weeks’ on the horticultural therapeutics program(p＜0.01). The experimental group also showed high levels scores in most items of the “Personality and Talent in Elderly Women” such as in ‘the pursuit of meaning, personal relationships, reliability, sincerity/acceptance, compassion, sympathy, being earnest, responsibility, self-awareness, altruism, respect & praise for others, and grace’(p＜0.01). Subjects’ responses for the experimental group after PHTP were as follows: ‘happiness, hope, and gratitude‘ at 20.0%,’brighter outlook‘ at 15.0%,’love and learning’ at 10.0%, and ’grace‘ at 5.0%. Results of the positive horticultural therapeutics showed its effectiveness in improving the quality of life for elderly women. Therefore, we recommend performing and gradually expanding the program for other groups of elderly women.