Physiological Changes Associated with Senescence of Cut Anthurium Flowers

Abstract

Physiological changes accompanying anthurium flower (Anthurium andraenum Andre) senescence were monitored. Silver pulse treatment of flower stems was used to modify the senescence process. Florets on the spadix continued to open for 5-10 days after harvest. In both treated and untreated flowers, respiration rate was low until senescence began 8 days after harvest. The rate of increase in respiration of silver treated flowers was half that of the controls. Ethylene production remained low throughout the postharvest life of the flowers. Ten days from harvest spathe color began to change from red to blue with no significant changes in the ratios of the anthocyanins. There was a simultaneous change in tissue pH, from 5.2 to 5.6. Tissue organic acids remained constant during senescence. There was a significant increase in spathe tissue ammonium ion due, apparently, to protein breakdown which probably caused the increase in tissue pH. The concentration of tissue phenolics increased during senescence and could have intensified the color change by copigmentation. Flower senescence apparently was not due to a shortage of carbohydrates, though tissue starch levels did decline by about 25%. The ratio of free sugars in the stem, spathe and spadix remained constant with a slight decline in concentration during postharvest life. Senescence probably was caused by water stress due to stem plugging of undetermined nature. Silver-pulsing of the stem reduced the amount of plugging and therefore reduced the rate of change of all the senescence processes.

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“…Similar reduction in moisture content due to rapid water loss in petals was reported in Rosa hybrida too (Carpenter and Rasmussen, 1973) and anthurium cv. Ozaki Red (Paull et al, 1985). It has been reported in gladiolus flower senescence that decrease in RWC (Relative Water Content) of tepals caused dehydration of tissues and, in turn, wilting (Zahed Hossain et al, 2006).…”