Polyglutamic acid as a vase life improver for cut lilies

Abstract

The vase life of cut lilies is short. Improving the vase life is very important to keep this kind of cut flower fresh by using exogenous improvers. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effectiveness of polyglutamic acid (PGA) on the vase life of cut lilies, in order to introduce a new vase life improver for cut lilies. The results demonstrated that PGA significantly strengthened the antioxidant capacity by enhancing the antioxidant activities (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase) and the antioxidant contents (total phenolics, total flavonoids, total anthocyanin and vitamin C), which further decreased the electrolyte leakage and the malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide contents. Meanwhile, the PGA significantly maintained the water balance by decreasing the water saturation deficit and increasing the relative water content and the soluble sugar and proline contents, as well as the average fresh weight change rate and average water balance value of the cut flower. Besides, the PGA significantly decreased the wilted flower numbers and increased the open flower numbers, flower diameter and the vase life of lily cut flower. The above findings provided useful information for the potential application of PGA as a new vase life improver for cut lilies.

Keywords

• postharvest quality
•  biopolymer
•  aging
•  antioxidase
•  oxidative damage