Acta Scientiarum Polonorum: Hortorum Cultus (Apr 2012)
THE EFFECTS OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES ON SENESCENCE OF Weigela florida (Bunge) A. DC. 'VARIEGATA NANA' CUT STEMS
Abstract
In addition to flowers, cut foliage and leafy stems are very valuable florist material. However, florist greens frequently first loses its ornamental value in a flower arrangement, since it quickly wilts, fades, or browns. That is why it is important to develop agents for conditioning cut the florist greens that would extend its vase life effectively and inhibit senescence. Here we report on the effect of growth regulators and commercially available conditioning products on the post-harvest longevity of cut stems of Weigela florida 'Variegata Nana' and certain processes associated with their senescence. Senescence of W. florida cut stems resulted in reduced post-harvest quality, decrease in relative water content (RWC) and an increase in electrolyte leakage (EL) in the leaf tissues. Chrysal Clear 2, applied in the form of a 24-hour pre-treatment, was the most effective in extending the longevity of cut stems of W. florida. The same conditioning product also had a beneficial effect on leaf tissue water content and the values of the chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, including maximum quantum yield and actual photochemical activity. Conditioning of W. florida stems in a solution of gibberellic acid at a concentration of 0.25 mg · dm-3 had the most beneficial effect on the cytoplasmatic membranes. However, the highest contentes of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll “a” and “b”), were found after the 24-hour pre-treatment of W. florida stems in a solution of 0.1 mmol · dm-3 benzyladenine and Chrysal Clear 2.
