Abstract
Both nitric oxide (NO) and calcium ion (Ca2+)/calmodulin (CaM) have been shown to regulate the senescence of cut flowers. However, not much is known about the crosstalk between NO and Ca2+/CaM during the senescence of cut flowers. In this study, cut Oriental × Trumpet hybrid lily “Manissa” were used to investigate the roles and relationship between NO and Ca2+/CaM during postharvest freshness. The results show that the effects of CaCl2 or NO donor SNAP on the vase life, maximum flower diameter and hours until full opening were dose-dependent, with an optimum concentration of 20 mM CaCl2 or 100 μM SNAP. However, Ca2+ chelators EGTA or BAPTA/AM, Ca2+ channel inhibitors LaCl3 or nifedipine and CaM antagonists W-7 or TFP inhibited the promotion of SNAP. SNAP applied alone significantly increased the endogenous Ca2+/CaM contents in cut lily flowers, while EGTA, BAPTA/AM, LaCl3, nifedipine, W-7, and TFP decreased the advancement of SNAP. In addition, the SNAP-induced Ca2+-ATPase activity was more than twice as much as the control, but EGTA, BAPTA/AM, LaCl3, nifedipine, W-7, and TFP also reversed the enhancement. Moreover, EGTA, BAPTA/AM, LaCl3, nifedipine, W-7, and TFP prevented the SNAP-induced upregulation of gene expression of CaM, CBL1, and CBL3, which is associated with calcium signaling pathway. Overall, these results suggest that Ca2+/CaM may function as downstream molecules in NO-regulated senescence of cut flowers.
Highlights
Cut lilies (Lilium spp.), a bulbous plant with large trumpet-shaped and typically fragrant flowers (Liao et al, 2013), are in demand worldwide because of their superior commercial and ornamental value
There was no difference in the vase life of cut lilies between treatments with distilled water and KCl
When tested at 5 mM and 60 mM CaCl2, each of the concentration had no significant effects on vase life
Summary
Cut lilies (Lilium spp.), a bulbous plant with large trumpet-shaped and typically fragrant flowers (Liao et al, 2013), are in demand worldwide because of their superior commercial and ornamental value. Senescence is the main reason for the short vase life and poor quality of cut flowers, which involves a general degradation of nucleic acids, proteins, and cell membranes, as well as increased activities of RNase and other hydrolytic enzymes (Shabanian et al, 2018). These structural, biochemical, and molecular changes are the hallmarks of programmed cell death (PCD). Postharvest life and quality of cut flowers are controlled by a combination of factors including multiple genetic factors, pre-harvest environmental conditions throughout the supply chain, plant maturity and season of planting and harvesting, plant nutritional status, sensitivity to ethylene and oxidative
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