Changes in sugar, protein, respiration, and ethylene in developing and harvested Geraldton waxflower(Chamelaucium uncinatum)flowers

Abstract

Sugar and protein levels and rates of respiration and ethylene production were measured for Geraldton waxflower (Chamelaucium uncinatum) flowers in order to characterise flower development and senescence in this cut flower crop. Ten sequential stages of floral development were identified. Sugar levels increased during bud development, the highest concentrations (c. 130 mg sucrose equivalents/g dry weight (DW) being measured during the nectiferous stages of flower opening. There was little variation in either soluble or insoluble protein levels during flower development, levels averaging around 19 and 25 mg bovine serum albumin (BSA) equivalents/g DW, respectively. In flowers cut and maintained individually, sugar and protein levels decreased rapidly after harvest, suggesting their use as respiratory substrates. Sprig senescence was characterised by loss in fresh weight and decreasing Received 23 November 1995; accepted 13 February 1996 water use. In flowers taken from sprigs in vases, sugar and protein levels increased slightly (Day 4) before decreasing with senescence (Day 8). Flowers on sprigs appeared to deteriorate at c. 8 days after harvest, in concert with the decreasing sugar and protein levels. Respiration rates were initially high (1432 ml/kg per h) for the flowers from harvested sprigs, and declined during vase life. Ethylene production also decreased during vase life from an initial level of 1.32 μJ/kg per h. The absence of respiratory and ethylene production peaks indicates that Geraldton waxflower flowers are nonclimacteric in nature. H95065

Variation in ethylene-induced postharvest flower abscission responses among Chamelaucium Desf. (Myrtaceae) genotypes

“…Opened flowers with a nectiferous hypanthium (Olley et al, 1996) and without visible disease symptoms were excised at the base of their pedicels. The flower pedicels were inserted singly into individual 1.5 ml microfuge tubes through a small hole in the lid.…”

“…uncinatum flower vase life is judged to end when the petals wilt and close in association with the loss of fresh mass and turgor pressure (Joyce and Jones, 1992;Olley et al, 1996). Maintenance of turgor in plant organ abscission zone cells is required to provide pressure for the final stages of cell separation (Sexton, 1995).…”

Influência da temperatura na respiração, produção de etileno e longevidade de inflorescências de esporinha

“…Porém a utilização da média de produção de CO 2 da esporinha em quatro diferentes períodos permite uma estimativa acurada da respiração para o cálculo do fator Q 10 das inflorescências, como sugere o estudo realizado por BÖTTCHER et al (2003) A magnitude da atividade respiratória, em esporinha, foi similar à observada em outras flores de corte, como em cravos e Chamelaucium uninatum (OLLEY et al, 1996;WILLS et al, 1998). Entretanto, a tolerância da respiração ao aumento da temperatura é distinta quando comparados esporinhas e cravos.…”

Post-pollination changes in the floral organs of two Cymbidium species

“…These simple molecules may be mobilized to the mother plant and utilized subsequently in various metabolic pathways (Erdelská andOvecká 2004, Procházková andWilhelmová 2007). The increase in sugarcontents may have variety roles in senescing organs (Olley et al 1996, Attri et al 2007). On the other hand, petal senescence has been speculated to be linked to sugars starvation since exogenous application of sugars has been found to prolong the longevity (Van Doorn 2004).…”