Effects of BA Pretreatment on Vase Life, Ethylene Production, and Souluble Sugar Contents in Cut Florets of Four Members of the Cattleya Alliance

Abstract

Pretreatments of BA significantly suppressed ethylene production and prolonged the vase life of cut florets in Laeliocattleya Irene Finney 'York' and Brassolaeliocattleya Mem. Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton'. A combination of BA pretreatment and spray of silver thiosulfate (STS) had synergistic effects on the vase life of Cattleya Carl Hauserman 'z-784c'. Cut florets of Laelia (L.) purpurata produced ethylene at the highest rate and neither BA nor STS treatments affected their ethylene production and vase life. BA had little effect on the total soluble sugars (TSS) contents in the petals of all the alliances. TSS contents did not change in turgid to slightly wilted petals. Ethylene seems to be involved in senescence of the cut florets but BA suppresses its production, thus extending vase life. Lowering of TSS could not be a direct cause of the wilting process.