Abscisic acid, in combination with sucrose, is effective as a pulse treatment to suppress leaf damage and extend foliage vase-life in cut Eustoma flowers

Abstract

SummaryWhile pulse treatment with sucrose extends the vase-life of cut Eustoma grandiflorum flowers, it may also cause leaf damage. Here, the effects of abscisic acid (ABA) treatment on leaf damage and the vase-life of Eustoma ‘Mira Coral’ cut flowers were investigated. Cut flowers with five open florets and four buds were treated with distilled water, 4% (w/v) sucrose including biocide, 10 µM ABA, or 4% (w/v) sucrose plus 10 µM ABA including biocide, at 23ºC and 66% relative humidity, in the dark, for 21 h. After pulse treatment, 50% of the cut flowers treated with sucrose alone had at least one damaged leaf, compared to none of the cut flowers treated with sucrose plus ABA. Sucrose plus ABA treatment resulted in a greater reduction in solution uptake than did treatment with sucrose alone. Fresh weight and the number of open florets in flowers decreased more slowly in flowers treated with sucrose plus ABA than in flowers treated with sucrose alone. Both the sucrose, and the sucrose plus ABA treatments extended flower vase-life compared to the control. Moreover, ABA and sucrose plus ABA treatments showed marked delays in leaf wilting. These findings indicate that a pulse treatment with sucrose plus ABA suppresses leaf damage and improves the quality of cut Eustoma flowers.