Post-Harvest Physiology of Cut Flowers:

Abstract

Vase life is one of the most important quality components in cut flowers. It is necessary to clarify the physiological mechanism of cut-flower opening and senescence to efficiently develop quality retention technologies that control the vase life of cut flowers. Until now, several studies focusing on post-harvest physiology have been conducted to enhance the quality of cut flowers, leading to vase life improvement. Thanks to continuous efforts in improving the quality of cut flowers and prolonging their vase life, several agents (e.g., ethylene production/action inhibitors, soluble carbohydrates, and antibacterial agents) have been developed to preserve flower quality. Recently, several researchers reported that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) can improve cut-flower quality, including petal color and vase life, showing high potential as a quality-retention agent. In this chapter, recent research progress in the post-harvest physiology of cut flowers and utilizing MeJA to improve ornamental flower quality is described.