Abstract: The optimum harvest time and effective pretreatment solutions and their treatment methods of cut Heliconia rostrata in relation to the control of spath browning were studied. The middle flowering bud stage was determined to be the optimum harvest stage. The whole flower twigs were immersed completely for 1 h in a solution containing 500 mg·L ^{- 1} H₃BO₄ or 500 mg·L ^{- 1} MgSO₄ , then placed in a vase solution containing 2 mg·L ^{- 1} 6-BA + 200 mg·L - 1 Al₂ ( SO₄ ) 3 and finally sprayed with 0.1% polyvinyl alcohol. These treatments
significantly controlled the browning of spath tissues of cut Heliconia rostrata, maintained a low pH value and reduced the increase of membrane permeability. After treatments, their vase life were 12 d and 11.5 d, respectively, which was significantly higher than the control (4 d).

Key words: Heliconia rostrata, Harvested, Spath, Browning, Preservation