INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE INFLUENCE OF THE MICROFLORA FROM STEMS OF CUT FLOWERS ON THE VASE-LIFE OF ROSE "SONIA"; GERBERA "FLEUR" AND CHRYSANTHEMUM "SPIDER"

Authors:	H.&e.;t. Put, Carl.C. Conway
Abstract: Microbiological factors that play an important role in the mechanism of water flow resistance, decrease in water uptake and decrease in vase-life of cut flowers: rose "Sonia", gerbera "Fleur" and chrysanthemum "Spider" are: the cut flower stem microflora, consisting of bacteria, yeast and mould species, being able to multiply in cut flower vase water up to about 10⁷ viable microorganisms/ml, as well as the resulting metabolites. In addition it was observed that: the washed viable and bio-inactivated microbial cells, the washed heat-inactivated microbial cells, as well as the heat-treated microbial metabolites also contribute to the decrease in water uptake and decrease in vase-life of the three cultivars tested. Water relations of the cut flowers tested were also influenced by the origin of the microflora. Much more research is needed to reveal the different microbiological phenomena giving rise to water flow resistance and decrease in vase-life of cut flowers (Accati, 1980; Zagory and Reid, 1986).
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