Responses of cut carnations to a low oxygen level in the ambient atmosphere

Abstract

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) flowers were subjected to low oxygen to investigate the physiological effects on flower senescence. The effect of ultra low oxygen (0.6-0.8%) led to low accumulation of ethanol that amounted to 8 mg/l in the tissue pulp in 19 days. The content of acetaldehyde showed an exponential decrease in its previous value after a subsequent exposition of cut carnations to air but still at a cold storage temperature. The content of sugars such as sucrose, glucose and fructose linearly decreased with small differences between ULO and RA conditions. The sucrose content was at a trace concentration. Visual symptoms of injury were observed in ULO conditions after 19 days of storage when brown spots appeared at the top of petals.

Keywords

• dianthus caryophyllus l.
• low oxygen atmosphere
• ethanol
• acetaldehyde
• sucrose
• glucose
• fructose