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This experiment was conducted in the year 2012-2013 at GKVK, campus, UHS, Bagalkot, to know the optimum stage of harvest to prolong the vase life of ornamental sunflower. Post harvest parameters indicated highest cumulative water uptake was in the flowers harvested at 50 per cent of ray florets open stage (S3 stage) recording 51.28 g followed by one row of ray florets open (S2 stage) recording 50.50 g and fully open flowers (S4 stage) recording 49.53 g. Flowers harvested at tight bud (S1 stage) and one row of ray florets open (S2 stage) showed minimum cumulative water loss (46.39 and 48.13 g respectively). The flowers harvested at one row of ray florets open (S2 stage) followed by flowers harvest at 50 per cent of ray florets open (S3 stage) recorded highest vase life recording 5.63 and 5.37 days. The above results revealed flowers harvested at 50 per cent of ray florets open (S3 stage) followed by flowers harvested when one row of ray florets (S2 stage) can be considered as ideal stage for harvesting ornamental sunflower.

Key words: Sunflower, Stems, Weather condition,