Key Points and Detailed Methods for Lily Storage and Fresh-Keeping Technology
Lilies originated in East Asia. In Europe and the United States, they are cultivated as ornamental flowers, while in China the bulbs are harvested and cultivated as a food crop. Lilies have few types of pests and diseases, but the damage is severe, with losses reaching 30%-60% in bad years. To improve pest and disease control in lilies, from 1993 to 1998 we studied the main pest and disease species in the Shaodong area...
(1) Select storage-tolerant varietiesChina is the country of origin for lilies and has many cultivated types and varieties. The main ones include Longya lily, Sichuan lily (Lilium davidii var. unicolor), and tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium), among other varieties. Among them, the Sichuan lily, which is white, flat-spherical, tightly clustered, large, and sweet, has good quality and stores well. Lilies are generally harvested in early November, mostly by digging out the bulbs with a shovel, promptly removing the stems and soil, and cutting off the fibrous roots. Lilies are not tolerant of wind or sun exposure. Newly dug bulbs must not be exposed to wind and sun in the field, to prevent the outer scales from discoloring and losing water.
(2) Pre-cooling and selection
After harvest, lilies should be promptly transported to a shaded place and evenly spread out on the ground to air-dry, dispersing the field heat to prevent the product from heating up. The air-drying time must not be too long, to prevent the scales from discoloring.
For storage, select lily bulbs that are white, plump, round and neat in shape, tightly clustered, and free of loose or scorched scales. Handle them gently during operation to avoid damage.
(3) Storage methods
① Layering with yellow sand
First spread a thin layer of yellow sand or wet soil on the floor of the room (or warehouse), then place the selected lilies in alternating layers of bulbs and yellow sand, piling them up to a height of about 1 m. Cover the top and surrounding sides with another 20-30 cm of yellow sand so that the lilies are not exposed to the air. Buried in yellow sand, the lilies undergo a form of modified atmosphere, which suppresses respiration to a certain extent, maintains a certain humidity, helps regulate moisture, and can also prevent infection by pathogens. During storage, prevent the pile from heating up and manage to keep the temperature relatively low. With this method, they can be stored until the following spring.
② Cold storage: The selected and pre-cooled lilies can be packed into boxes or sealed in plastic (11385,-75.00,-0.65%) film bags and then boxed, then sent to a cold storage facility for stacking or shelving. The storage temperature can be controlled at 0°C, with relative humidity of 65%-75%. They can often be stored until the following spring before removal from storage.
In California, USA, cold storage involves placing Easter lily bulbs in polyethylene film boxes filled with dry peat at -0.5°C, extending their storage period by several months. The plastic film prevents water loss, while the peat and low temperature inhibit rooting, sprouting, and disease development.