Role of Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic Acid (ACC) in Control of Ethylene Production in Fresh and Cold-stored Rose Flowers

Abstract

Faragher, J. D., Mor, Y. and Johnson, F. 1987. Role of aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) in control of ethylene production in fresh and cold-stored rose flowers.—J. exp. Bot. 38: 1839-1847. The relationships between ethylene production, aminocyclopropane-l-carboxylic acid (ACC) content and ethylene-forming-enzyme (EFE) activity during ageing and cold storage of rose flower petals (Rose hybrida L. cv. Gabriella) were investigated. During flower ageing at 20 °C there was a climacteric rise in petal ethylene production, a parallel increase in ACC content, but a continuous decrease in EFE activity. Applied ACC increased petal ethylene production c. 200-fold. During cold storage of flowers at 1 °C there were parallel increases in petal ethylene production and ACC content, to levels greater than those reached in fresh flowers held at 20 °C. EFE activity decreased during storage. Immediately after cold-stored flowers were transferred to 20 °C ethylene production and ACC levels were c. four times greater than in freshly cut flowers. These levels increased to maximum values of two to four times the maximum values reached during ageing of fresh, unstored, flowers. It was concluded that in rose petals ethylene synthesis is probably regulated by ACC levels and that cold storage stimulates ethylene synthesis because it increases the levels of ACC in the petals.