How to effectively prevent browning after harvesting lilies?

During the harvesting and storage of lilies, due to prolonged exposure to sunlight, the color of lily scales changes from white to brown, a condition known as browning. Browning is an oxidation reaction that occurs under the catalytic action of biological enzymes in lily scales. Browning reduces the quality of commercial lilies; if they are seed lilies, the germination rate of browned bulbs is low, causing seed rot. This year lilies matured early, and harvesting is expected around early July, so attention should be paid to preventing browning early.

During harvesting, attention should be paid to shading and covering. Under strong direct sunlight, lilies dug from the soil are often prone to browning, and this is often overlooked by growers, thereby reducing lily quality. Therefore, harvesting is best done on cloudy days or on sunny afternoons, and dug lilies should not be exposed in the open for too long. If harvesting on a sunny morning, dug lilies should be promptly covered with straw or other coverings to block light, preventing direct exposure to strong sunlight that causes oxidative browning. Promptly remove soil and debris, cut off the root system, and place them in baskets. After a basket is full, place a covering over it as well to block light. After harvesting, transport them back promptly, place them in a cool indoor spot, spread them out to dry slightly, and do not leave them outdoors in the sun.

For commercial lilies, blanch the slices as early as possible. The purpose of blanching is to kill the biological enzymes in lilies that promote browning, prevent enzymatic browning, kill pathogens, and prevent rot. Some farmers do not understand the principle and function of blanching and often fail to blanch in time. Because blanching is delayed, outer slices or even inner slices become browned or begin to brown before blanching, and after processing the dried slices are not white in color, becoming yellow slices or even black slices. Therefore, lilies after harvesting should be blanched on a sunny day as early as possible. If blanching time is too long, the slices are prone to breaking and becoming mushy; if blanching time is too short, the biological enzymes are not completely killed and inactivated, leading to more severe browning and ultimately turning into black slices, seriously affecting quality. In Xinshao, farmers commonly use a lotus-leaf pot for blanching. The lotus-leaf pot holds 50 kg of water; bring it to a boil, pour in about 15 kg of washed and drained scales while stirring with a stick. When the lilies change from white to slightly yellow, and from yellow to white, scrape the slice skin with a fingernail and it becomes powdery, taste the slice and it is crisp, break the slice and the cross-section has no white core, and the water in the pot has not become cloudy, this indicates the blanching time is appropriate, and they should be removed from the pot immediately. Generally speaking, outer slices need to stay in the boiling water for 5-6 minutes, and inner slices need 2-3 minutes in the boiling water, after which they can be removed immediately. After blanching 2-3 batches of slices in each pot of water, the water must be changed. After removal from the pot, cool immediately and sun-dry.

Storage of seed lilies. To prevent browning and rot, the storage location should be dry, ventilated, cool, and protected from light. Generally, the sand-soil layering method is used for light blocking. After harvesting, place the lily bulbs in a cool room and spread them out briefly to reduce moisture in the scales, but the time should not be long, generally about 2 days. Choose a cool room, spray the ground with 0.3% formaldehyde solution or 0.3% potassium permanganate solution, then spread a layer of clean garden soil or river sand 5-7 cm thick on the ground, place the lilies on it, arranged neatly. Then cover the lilies with a layer of soil or sand about 3-4 cm thick, repeating this process, with the height not exceeding 1.5 m, and seal the surroundings tightly with soil or sand. This ensures light blocking, moisture retention, and ventilation. Check once every 20-30 days, and avoid turning them over too much. If rotting or deteriorated bulbs are found, remove them promptly.