Abstract
We investigated the effects of sucrose and nano-silver (NAg) on extending the vase life of cut carnation flowers “Edun”. Sucrose (pulse treatment) suppressed ethylene production by downregulating the genes that code for its biosynthesis. Relative to the control, however, sucrose significantly promoted xylem blockage on cut stem surfaces and reduced relative fresh weight, antioxidant activity, and cysteine proteinase inhibitor gene (DcCPi) expression. Consequently, the sucrose-treated flowers had shorter vase lives than the control. In contrast, NAg suppressed ethylene production in the petal, prevented xylem blockage in the cut stem surface, and improved all the aforementioned parameters. Therefore, NAg increased flower longevity. The most effective treatment in terms of longevity extension and parameter improvement, however, was the combination of NAg and sucrose. These results suggest that sucrose can suppress ethylene production but does not necessarily extend the vase life of the flower cultivar. The role of NAg in increasing cut carnation longevity is mainly to inhibit xylem blockage rather than suppress ethylene production, and the combined effect of NAg and sucrose is most effective at prolonging cut carnation vase life, likely due to their synergetic effects on multiple modes of action.
Highlights
Carnation senescence is regulated by endogenous ethylene produced from the transcription of the ethylene biosynthesis genes coding for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS) and ACC oxidase (ACO) (Park et al, 1992; van Doorn, 2004; Hoeberichts et al, 2007; Yuan et al, 2012)
The rapid drop in relative fresh weight (RFW) caused premature petal senescence, which was first observed in the sucrose-treated flowers on day 13
Sucrose treatments significantly suppressed ethylene production in cut carnation flowers by downregulating ethylene biosynthesis genes. They reduced cut flower longevity compared to that of the control by causing xylem blockage on the cut stem surfaces, and by lowering senescence-resistance gene expression and antioxidant activity
Summary
Carnation senescence is regulated by endogenous ethylene produced from the transcription of the ethylene biosynthesis genes coding for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS) and ACC oxidase (ACO) (Park et al, 1992; van Doorn, 2004; Hoeberichts et al, 2007; Yuan et al, 2012). Sucrose delays floral senescence by downregulating ethylene biosynthesis genes This mode of action has been largely exploited in carnation and many other cut flowers (Nichols, 1973; Mayak and Dilley, 1976; van Doorn, 2004). Sucrose delayed visible senescence in sweet pea by suppressing climacteric ethylene production (Ichimura and Suto, 1999) Another advantage of using sucrose is that it can serve as a substrate for respiration and cell wall synthesis and improve cut flower vase life (Halevy and Mayak, 1979), in addition, it can prevent water loss from the petal during cut flower senescence by increasing the amount of osmotic solutes in the cells (van Doorn and Woltering, 2008)
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