Morphophysiological Characteristics Associated with Vase Life of Cut Flowers of Anthurium

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The role of water status in determining vase life was investigated in three Anthurium andraeanum Hort. cultivars: Spirit, Success, and Honduras. The cultivars were selected based on their vase life in previous studies and designated as ‘Vshort’, ‘Vmed’ and ‘Vlong’ respectively. A timeline experiment observing spadix necrosis (bloom degradation) under controlled conditions determined end of vase life as 15, 18, and 36 days for Vshort, Vmed and Vlong respectively. Spathe relative water content (RWC) was closely associated with bloom degradation with all three cultivars reaching end of vase life at ≈75% spathe RWC. Membrane integrity of the spathe showed no association with bloom degradation before the end of vase life with increased ion leakage found only after spadix necrosis was visible, indicating that bloom degradation was driven by spathe water status rather than senescence induced by other factors. RWC of the peduncle base and apex showed no association with bloom degradation in any of the cultivars. In fact, base and apex RWC remained high throughout the experiment despite the consistent loss of spathe RWC. This suggests that the reduced water content of the spathe was not induced by reduced hydraulic conductance of the peduncle. Stomatal conductance (gS) was highest in Vshort (approximately twice that of Vlong) and likely contributed to the rapid loss of spathe RWC in this cultivar. However, Vmed and Vlong had similar gS rates and water uptake rates despite large differences in spathe RWC. Thus, the two cultivars differed in their ability to retain water within the spathe tissue. In all three cultivars, end of vase life was determined by spathe water status. Genotypic variation in vase life was not driven by differences in the hydraulic conductance of the peduncle as previously thought. Differences in spathe water status were partially explained by differences in gS but other factors were also involved.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 98%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Genotypic Variation in Senescence and Water Relations in Cut Flowers of Anthurium andraeanum (Hort.)

Farrell¹,

Evelyn²,

Lennon³

et al. 2012

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“…Furthermore, the change in pH was not associated with L* but rather with changes in a* and b*, which mirror changes in color rather than intensity. Loss of vase life in anthurium is as a result of loss of spathe glossiness, spathe, and spadix browning and spathe bluing (Elibox and Umaharan, 2008b;Paull, 1982). Spathe bluing is attributed to an increase in pH from 5.2 to 5.6 caused by an increase in ammonium ions resulting from protein breakdown (Paull et al, 1985).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spathe Color Variation in Anthurium andraeanum Hort. and Its Relationship to Vacuolar pH

Avila-Rostant¹,

Lennon²,

Umaharan³

2010

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The relationship between vacuolar pH in Anthurium andraeanum (Hort.) and spathe color, cultivar, developmental stage, spathe location, spathe surface differences, and time after harvest was investigated with the overall long-term objective of developing a methodology for engineering blue-colored spathes. Chromospectral analysis of the pigmentation was also studied. Six experiments were conducted involving 23 cultivars of anthurium with each experiment arranged in a randomized complete block design with five replications. Spathe color was associated with vacuolar pH with the whites and greens having the highest pH (average 5.65) followed by corals (5.38), pinks (5.20), reds (5.10), and oranges (4.5). In general, there was correspondence between the lightness of the pigmentation (L*) and the pH values with the lighter colors having higher pH values. There were, however, significant differences among cultivars within the color groups. Whereas spathe pH decreased with aging, there was no difference in the spectral data, suggesting that factors other than anthocyanin content may be contributing to the pH difference. There were no differences in pH between locations sampled on the spathe nor between the spathe surfaces provided there were no differences in color intensity (L*). The pH increased with vase life in two of three cultivars tested with pH values showing an association with increases in a* and b* (chromospectral data) reflecting a bluing effect. The importance of the results to engineering blue-colored spathes in anthurium is discussed.

“…Spathe size for each accession was calculated by multiplying spathe length by spathe width. Peduncle length was measured as the linear distance from the point of attachment of the spathe to the point of attachment of the stem (Elibox and Umaharan, 2008a).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The angle of the spadix relative to the spathe (spathe carriage) was measured with a protractor from the base of the spadix (Elibox and Umaharan, 2008a). The colors of the spathe, spadix, and peduncle were also recorded using a horticultural color chart (Wilson Color Ltd., U.K.).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Study of Morphophysiological Descriptors of Cultivated Anthurium andraeanum Hort.

Elibox¹,

Umaharan²

2012

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Sixteen morphophysiological parameters of horticultural importance were investigated in 82 anthurium accessions grown in the Caribbean. The spathe colors included red, pink, white, green, orange, purple, coral, and brown and obake types with red, pink, and white spathe colors accounting for 63.4% of the accessions. There was wider variation in spadix color combinations than spathe color. There was wide variation for the cut flower and leaf parameters evaluated with productivity and peduncle length having the smallest and largest range, respectively. The frequency distributions were skewed to the right for spathe length, spathe width, spathe size, spadix length, spadix diameter, leaf width, leaf size, and productivity and was normal for leaf length, spadix angle, peduncle length, petiole length, and spathe showiness. Accessions with wider leaves had longer leaves and longer petioles; those with longer spathes had wider spathes; and those with longer peduncles had correspondingly longer petioles. Peduncle length also showed moderate, weak correlations with other leaf measurements and spathe parameters, respectively. Spadix diameter showed moderate correlations with leaf parameters. Spathe showiness showed moderate, weak correlations with spathe measurements and productivity, respectively. Principal component analysis of the 13 quantitative parameters showed that the first three principal components explained 75% of the variation in the accessions. Leaf length, leaf width, leaf size, petiole length, peduncle length, and spadix diameter; spathe length, spathe width, spathe size, and spathe showiness; and productivity loaded on the first, second, and third component, respectively. Hence, one leaf and one spathe size parameter, spathe showiness, petiole length, peduncle length, spadix length, spadix angle, spadix diameter, and productivity as well as spathe, spadix, peduncle, and petiole colors can be used as descriptors for anthurium. Based on these results and market information, an Anthurium ideotype adapted to the humid tropics is described.