Vase Life Evaluation of Field-grown Lilium Hybrids under Shade Cloth

Vase life performance of Lilium hybrids was evaluated from a field study designed to evaluate the growth and development of Lilium hybrids treated with natural full sun (NFS), 50% black shade cloth (BSC) and 50% aluminet shade cloth (ASC). Lily bulbs were planted monthly from April to August in 2013 in raised bed at Stephen F. Austin State University, TX.  Lily cultivars were selected from Asiatic, Oriental, Longiflorum-Asiatic (LA) and Longiflorum Oriental (LO) hybrids. Twelve flower stems from each cultivar were harvested prior to anthesis and randomly placed in four solutions: 1) 12 mg·L^-1 sodium hypochlorite; 2) 12 mg·L^-1 sodium hypochlorite and 9 mg·L^-1 gibberellic acid; 3) 20 g·L^-1 sucrose and 12 mg·L^-1 sodium hypochlorite; and 4) 20 g·L^-1 sucrose, 12 mg·L^-1 sodium hypochlorite and 9 mg·L^-1 gibberellic acid, with 3 replicates. There was no consistent vase life trends related to planting month. Only the Oriental hybrid lilies grown under NFS had a significant reduction in vase life. For Oriental and OT hybrid lilies the sodium hypochlorite and gibberellic acid solution significantly increased vase life. However, for the Asiatic and LA hybrid lilies the sucrose, sodium hypochlorite and gibberellic acid solution significantly increased vase life.