ISHS Acta Horticulturae 261: IV International Symposium on Postharvest Physiology of Ornamental Plants
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF THE STEM OF CUT FLOWERS OF ROSA CV. SONIA AND GERBERA CV. FLEUR |
| Authors: | ANKE C.M. CLERKX, A. BOEKESTEIN, H. M.C. PUT |
| Abstract:
Scanning electron microscopic observations have been made of transverse and longitudinal cross-sections of xylem vessels of cut flowers of Rosa and Gerbera. Flowers were collected after a vase life of max. 24 hr and different vase waters were used for this incubation period. Flowers were incubated in: sterile tap water, pure submerged cultures of Bacillus sp., Fusarium sp., and Kluyveromyces sp. respectively up to a max. of 5 x 107 cells per ml of vase water. Electron micrographs of stem sections were taken in a Jeol 35C scanning electron microscope at 15 kV accelerating voltage. We found a preferential clotting of the micro-organisms on the cut cross-section of the flower stem submerged and incubated in the vase water. This clotting could be responsible for a decrease in the water uptake of the flower. A positive correlation was found between the number of micro-organisms in the vase water and the vase life of the flowers. | |
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