Blue Light Improves Vase Life of Carnation Cut Flowers Through Its Effect on the Antioxidant Defense System.

Mostafa Aalifar,Shirin Dianati Daylami,Margrethe Serek,Mostafa Arab,Sasan Aliniaeifard,Ernst Woltering,Mahboobeh Zare Mehrjerdi,Tao Li

doi:10.3389/fpls.2020.00511

Abstract

Improving marketability and extension of vase life of cut flowers has practical significance for the development of the cut flower industry. Although considerable efforts have been made over many years to improve the vase life of cut flowers through controlling the immediate environment and through post-harvest use of floral preservatives, the impact of lighting environment on vase life has been largely overlooked. In the current study, the effect of three LED light spectra [white (400–730 nm), blue (peak at 460 nm), and red (peak at 660 nm)] at 150 μmol m–2 s–1 on vase life and on physiological and biochemical characteristics of carnation cut flowers was investigated. Exposure to blue light (BL) considerably delayed senescence and improved vase life over that of flowers exposed to red light (RL) and white light (WL). H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in petals gradually increased during vase life; the increase was lowest in BL-exposed flowers. As a consequence, BL-exposed flowers maintained a higher membrane stability index (MSI) compared to RL- and WL-exposed flowers. A higher activity of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)] was detected in petals of BL-exposed flowers, compared to their activities in RL- and WL-exposed flowers. In BL-exposed flowers, the decline in petal carotenoid contents was delayed in comparison to RL- and WL-exposed flowers. Maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and a higher percentage of open stomata were observed in leaves of BL-exposed flowers. Sucrose and glucose contents accumulated in petals during vase life; sugar concentrations were higher in BL-exposed flowers than in RL- and WL-exposed flowers. It is concluded that BL exposure improves the vase life of carnation cut flowers through its effect on the antioxidant defense system in petals and on photosynthetic performance in the leaves.

Highlights

Ornamental plant production is an expanding industry worldwide and has great potential for continued future growth in international markets (Jerzy et al, 2011)
Exposure to red light (RL) shortened the vase life of flowers in comparison with white light (WL) exposure (Figures 2, 3)
We showed that the activity of CAT, ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and POD had similar patterns of change to that observed for superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in blue light (BL)-exposed flowers, with higher APX, SOD, POD, and CAT activities during vase life; as a result, they contained lower H2O2 in their petals in comparison with RL and WL treatments

Summary

Introduction

Ornamental plant production is an expanding industry worldwide and has great potential for continued future growth in international markets (Jerzy et al, 2011). Physiological and biochemical aspects of carnation senescence have previously been described (Sugawara et al, 2002; Shibuya and Ichimura, 2010; Satoh, 2011), and conditions during growth of mother plants, storage and handling, environment, and phyto-hormones all play roles in senescence regulation (Karimi et al, 2012; Asil et al, 2013; Hotta et al, 2016) Since it is a model flower, the mechanisms involved in vase life determination have attracted much interest (Sugawara et al, 2002; Tanase et al, 2008; Satoh, 2011; Tanase et al, 2015)

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Conclusion