Water Relations of Cut Flowers: An Update

Effects of salicylic acid applied pre- or post-transport on post-harvest characteristics and antioxidant enzyme activity of gladiolus cut flower spikes

“…The vase life of cut flowers is one of the most important characteristics for marketing and is greatly affected by post-harvest handling (Yamada et al 2003;Supapvanich & Promyou 2013). The transportation system can reduce vase life of cut flowers through water loss, stress induction and accelerated senescence (Redman et al 2002;Ezhilmathi et al 2007;Van Doorn 2012).…”

Extension of the Vase Life of Cut Roses by Both Improving Water Relations and Repressing Ethylene Responses

“…However, cut roses are often susceptible to water stress under unfavorable conditions after harvest (Doi et al, 2000). Generally, in cut rose flowers, early senescence symptoms are strongly related to the rise of hydraulic resistance caused by air embolism and physical occlusions by bacteria in the xylem vessels (van Doorn et al, 1995;van Doorn, 2012). Disruption of cut flower water relation causes physiological disorders such as early wilting of flowers and leaves and bending of Extension of the Vase Life of Cut Roses by Both Improving Water Relations and Repressing Ethylene Responses peduncle (bent neck), consequently decreasing the vase life of cut flowers.…”

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“…For example, shoots of Zinnia elegans have vessel elements with 60 and 65 μm of diameter, and showed a significant improvement in the water flow and an increase by two days in its vase life when comparing with shoots containing vessel elements with wider diameter. This difference has been explained by the fact that vessel elements with wider diameter are less resistant to water flow but more susceptible to cavitation (van Leperen et al, 2002;Twumasi et al, 2005;van Doorn, 2012).…”

“…When floral stems are placed into a vase, the absorption rate increases during the first days and then decreases. A decrease in water consumption can be attributed to cavitation events at the base of the stem, either by the proliferation of bacteria, formation of air bubbles or by synthesis of metabolites produced at the trimming moment (Spinarova & Hendriks, 2005;Fanourakis et al, 2012;Arévalo-Galarza et al, 2012;van Doorn, 2012). Delayed cavitation has been correlated with longer life in the vase.…”