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Three simulated transport temperatures (5, 11, or 17C) and durations. (3, 6, or 9 days) were used to evaluate the postproduction flowering patterns of miniature potted rose (Rosa sp) `Orange Rosamini'. The postproduction environment was maintained at 20 ± lC, 60% ± 5% relative humidity (RI-I), and an irradiance level, from cool-white fluorescent lamps, of 4.5 W·m<sup>-2</sup> photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) for 12 hours daily to simulate conditions at the retail or consumer level. At 3 weeks postproduction, plants held for 9 days at 17C had the fewest buds showing color per plant. As temperature increased, there were fewer flowers per plant at weeks 2 and 3 of postproduction. In a second study, the effect of simulated transport (3 days at 5C vs. no transport) and postproduction irradiance level (1, 2, or 4 W·m<sup>-2</sup> PAR) were evaluated over a 7-week postproduction period for `Orange Rosamini'. A three-way interaction was observed between simulated transport treatment, postproduction irradiance level, and time in postproduction for the number of open flowers per plant. Plants responded similarly at 1 and 2 W·m² throughout the postproduction period, regardless of transport treatment; however, at 4 W·m-2 the plants of the no transport treatment had two to three open flowers each week up to week 6 of postproduction, while plants subjected to simulated transport followed the pattern of one and two open flowers for 0 to 3 weeks. Flowering then increased to three to four open flowers for the duration of the postproduction period. A third study involved two simulated transport treatments (3 days at SC vs. no transport), three postproduction irradiance levels (1, 2, and 4 W·m^-2 PAR), and six miniature rose cultivars (`Orange Rosamini', `Red Minimo' `Sweet Rosamini', `Golden Rosamini', `Favorite Rosamini', and `White Rosamini'). Plants held at 1 or 2 W·m^-2 for 3 weeks had no open flowers, while those held at 4 W·m^-2 for 3 weeks had one to four open flowers, except `Sweet Rosamini', which had no open flowers with simulated transport.

Miniature flowering potted `Orange Rosamini' rose plants (Rosa × hybrida) were placed directly from production into simulated transport (STR) for 3 days at 5C and then into a retail handling treatment for 0, 1, 2, or 4 days. In the retail handling treatment, plants placed at 1 W·m^-2 were then moved into a final postproduction irradiance level of 4 W·m^-2; plants placed at 4 W·m^-2 were then moved into a final postproduction irradiance level of 1 W·m^-2. Also, a no-STR control treatment, plants placed directly into final postproduction environment (no transport or retail handling treatment), was included. All plants were placed into a final postproduction irradiance level (1 or 4 W·m^-2) for 3 weeks to evaluate the effects of postproduction irradiance. The retail handling and postproduction environments were maintained at 20 ± 1C, 1 or 4 W·m^-2 of irradiance (12 hours daily) from cool-white fluorescent lamps, and relative humidity (RR) of 60% ± 5% to simulate retail and/or consumer home conditions. Little difference was observed due to retail handling treatment or postproduction irradiance after 1 week. At weeks 2 and 3 of postproduction, there were 40% to 50% more open flowers on the no-STR plants maintained at 4 W·m^-2 than on those maintained at 1 W·m^-2 or on STR plants maintained at 1 or 4 W·m^-2 postproduction irradiance. At week 3 of postproduction, plants with STR maintained at 1 W·m^-2 had no buds showing color, while those maintained at 4 W·m^-2 had three to five buds showing color. However, the no-STR control plants had one bud showing color at week 3, regardless of postproduction irradiance level. These results indicate that the detrimental effects of transport, i.e., bud drop, likely can be minimized by high postproduction irradiance levels following transport.