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Boronia heterophylla vase life is influenced more by ethylene than by bacterial numbers or vase solution pH

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Williamson, V. G. and Joyce, D. C. (2013) Boronia heterophylla vase life is influenced more by ethylene than by bacterial numbers or vase solution pH. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 84 . pp. 28-35. ISSN 0925-5214

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2013.03.01...

Abstract

Bacterial proliferation in both vase solutions and in cut flower stems has been implicated in reducing the vase life of numerous genera. Boronia heterophylla F. Muell. (Red Boronia) vase life was assessed at two stages of floral maturity for nine vase solution treatments covering a pH range of 2.5-5.7. Vase life for advanced harvest maturity stems ranged from 4.2 d in 10 mM citric acid + 50 mg L-1 chlorine (pH 2.5) to 12.9 d after STS pulsing (pH 5.7). For normal harvest maturity stems, the corresponding range was 5.8-19.0 d, respectively. Vase solutions containing 50 mg L-1 chlorine biocide resulted in decreased longevity. In contrast, pulsing with the ethylene-binding inhibitor, STS, significantly increased vase life. The number of bacteria in the vase solutions after 11 d was determined in stems of advanced maturity. The solution with the greatest number of bacteria, 4.0 x 10(10) cfu mL(-1), was water used after STS pulsing and in which the flowers lasted longest. Vase solution bacteria were enumerated on days 0,3, 6, 9 and 12 of the vase period with stems of normal harvest maturity. There was no relationship between vase life and vase solution bacterial numbers ((R) over bar (2) = 0.000). Moreover, there was a negative relationship between numbers of bacteria in basal 0-5 cm stem segments and vase life. As no correlations were evident between longevity and either the pH or vase solution bacterial numbers, B. heterophylla vase life was evidently limited principally by ethylene action. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Horticulture and Forestry Science
Additional Information:Williamson, Virginia G. Joyce, Daryl C. Australian Postgraduate Research Award; Australian Flora Foundation VGW was the recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Research Award. We thank the Australian Flora Foundation for providing funds to purchase the flowers used in this study. We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Wouter van Doom for suggesting the monitoring of bacterial numbers throughout the normal harvest maturity study, Dr. Ian Davies and Dr. Patrick Laplagne for statistical advice and Shirley Dawson for the photographs. Elsevier science bv Amsterdam
Keywords:Colony forming units Longevity Pit membranes Silver thiosulphate Stem segments Xylem conduits cut rose flowers vascular blockage xylem vessels cv sonia senescence water stems microorganisms infiltration longevity
Subjects:Plant culture > Flowers and flower culture. Ornamental plants > Care and preparation of cut flowers and ornamental plants for market
Plant culture > Flowers and flower culture. Ornamental plants > Preservation and reproduction of flowers, fruits, etc
Live Archive:21 Aug 2014 01:06
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:49

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