Introduction: ‘Perla’ and ‘Mexicano’ are varieties of tuberose grown in Mexico that have potential for commercialization and export; however, no preservative solutions have been evaluated to increase their shelf life.
Objective: To determine physical, physiological, and chemical changes that occur in postharvest tuberose when different preservative solutions are applied.
Methodology: Tuberose flower spikes of varieties ‘Mexicano’ and Perla, with two open basal flowers, were placed in preservative solutions (Crystal®, sucrose [Sac] + citric acid [CA] + hydroxyquinoline citrate [HQC] and ascorbic acid [AAsc]). A group of tuberose flower spikes was kept as control, and in all cases destructive and non-destructive variables were evaluated during postharvest.
Results: Relative fresh weight and water consumption increased with preservative solutions in both varieties. The appearance of the ‘Perla’ variety was excellent for 5 days with Crystal®. The ‘Mexicano’ variety had more open flowers with Crystal® and Sac + AC + HQC, while the ‘Perla’ variety had the same result with AAsc and Crystal®. Respiration in the Mexicano’ variety was high with Sac + AC + HQC, and in the case of ‘Perla’ variety, respiration was low with AAsc. The highest specific superoxide dismutase activity was detected with AAsc and Crystal® for ‘Perla’ variety.
Study limitations: The results are valid without previous applications of pulse or hydrating solutions in tuberose varieties evaluated.
Originality: This is the first study where the postharvest behavior of two Mexican tuberose varieties is evaluated in preservative solutions.
Conclusions: ‘Mexicano’ and ‘Perla’ varieties can use Crystal® and AAsc solutions to maintain the quality for longer time in vase.

Introduction: Medium and low technology greenhouses use natural ventilation as a method of temperature and humidity control. However, at certain times of the year, this is insufficient to extract excess heat inside the greenhouse, so devices such as hydrophanes (humidifiers) have been implemented to reduce the temperature. It is necessary to know the behavior of temperature and humidity, since both factors influence the development of crops and, therefore, their yield.
Objective: To develop a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of a naturally ventilated zenithal greenhouse equipped with hydrophanes to understand the spatial and temporal distribution of temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse.
Methodology: The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse equipped with hydrophanes and grown with bell pepper. Temperature and humidity measurements were performed from March 7 to 25, 2014. The ANSYS Workbench program was used for the 3D CFD modeling.
Results: The CFD model satisfactorily described the temperature and humidity distribution of the greenhouse, with an error of 0.11 to 3.43 °C for temperature, and 0.44 to 10.80 % for humidity.
Limitations of the study: Numerical modeling using CFD is inadequate to model the temporality of the variables.
Originality: There are few studies that model humidity behavior with CFD and the use of hydrophanes in Mexico.
Conclusions: The CFD model allowed visualizing the distribution of temperature and air humidity inside the greenhouse.