Abstract
Flowers are key organs in many ornamental plants, and various phases of flower development impact their economic value. The final stage of petal development is associated with flower senescence, which is an irreversible process involving programmed cell death, and premature senescence of cut flowers often results in major losses in quality during postharvest handling. Flower opening and senescence are two sequential processes. As flowers open, the stamens are exposed to attract pollinators. Once pollination occurs, flower senescence is initiated. Both the opening and senescence processes are regulated by a range of endogenous phytohormones and environmental factors. Ethylene acts as a central regulator for the ethylene-sensitive flowers. Other phytohormones, including auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, jasmonic acid and abscisic acid, are also involved in the control of petal expansion and senescence. Water status also directly influences postharvest flower opening, while pollination is a key event in initiating the onset flower senescence. Here, we review the current understanding of flower opening and senescence, and propose future research directions, such as the study of interactions between hormonal and environmental signals, the application of new technology, and interdisciplinary research.
Highlights
By definition, flowers are of central importance in floral crops, and the processes of flower opening and senescence are key determinants of their ornamental quality and economic value (Srikanth and Schmid 2011)
Flower opening is important for reproduction, often through the presentation of petals to attract animals that promote cross-pollination
We summarize the molecular mechanisms known to be involved in flower opening and senescence, their regulation by phytohormones and environmental factors, and suggest future research directions
Summary
Flowers are of central importance in floral crops, and the processes of flower opening and senescence are key determinants of their ornamental quality and economic value (Srikanth and Schmid 2011). Flower opening is important for reproduction, often through the presentation of petals to attract animals that promote cross-pollination (van Doorn and Kamdee 2014). Petals complete their biological function and quickly enter the phase of senescence (Ketsa et al 2001). Petal senescence can be affected by fruit development, which is necessary for plants to complete reproductive development. During postharvest shipping and storage, ethylene, and other harmful gases, can cause undesired opening of flowers. We summarize the molecular mechanisms known to be involved in flower opening and senescence, their regulation by phytohormones and environmental factors, and suggest future research directions
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