ISHS Acta Horticulturae 430: VII International Symposium on Flowerbulbs
EFFECT OF STS ON THE KEEPING QUALITY AND CARBON ECONOMY OF MINI-GLADIOLUS SPIKES |
| Authors: | S. Meir, Y. Huang, Y. Reuveni, S. Philosoph-Hadas, A. Schaffer |
| Abstract:
Although insensitive to ethylene, pulsing of mini-gladiolus (Gladiolus hybr. cv. ‘Adi’) cut spikes with the ethylene inhibitor STS (0.4 mM) offers potential advantages, similar to pulsing with 10% sucrose, in extending their vase life and maintaining floret quality. Improvement of flower quality was manifested in increased fresh weight of the spikes, increased fresh and dry weights of the third and fifth florets, and opening of an additional floret during 7 days of vase life. STS-treated spikes had extended longevity over sucrose-treated ones. Similar to sucrose pulsing, STS pulsing resulted in elevated levels of glucose and fructose in the third floret during flower opening. These were further elevated by a combined STS + sucrose treatment. The STS-induced increase in reducing sugar levels of the third floret was accompanied by a concomitant decrease in the concentrations of total carbohydrate, mainly glucose and fructose, in the green vegetative organs. STS enhanced the reduction of carbohydrate concentrations of leaves, bracts and stems by 40, 50 and 75%, respectively, compared with control. The green vegetative tissue may thus serve as a possible source for assimilate import to the floret sink, that is necessary for the maintenance of proper floret opening during vase life. The results suggest that pulsing of mini-gladiolus spikes with STS may improve flower quality through maintaining high levels of carbohydrates, necessary for floret expansion, presumably at the expense of the carbohydrate concentrations of the green tissue. It seems therefore, that besides being an ethylene action inhibitor, STS may also play a possible role in modulating sugar transport within the spike. | |
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