The hormone treatments tested had no effect on bud opening. This means that we have at present no solution for the lack of bud opening in cut lotus flowers. It might be argued nonetheless that the closed floral buds, when pulse-treated with TDZ, do have ornamental value, as the time to unacceptable petal blackening was extended to almost one week.
It is concluded that although none of the treatments tested promoted flower opening, petal blackening was delayed by about two days after a pulse treatment with GA3 or thidiazuron, at least during the dry season, and that either of these treatment therefore seems promising for the lotus flower trade.