A screening test for the determination of cut flower longevity and ethylene sensitivity of carnation

Abstract

Strategies to prevent postharvest losses include the use of genotypes that have a longer life. The objective of this study was to develop a screening test for the estimation of cut flower postharvest life and the response to exogenous ethylene of different carnation cultivars at an early stage of plant growth. Ethylene sensitivity and production in different cut flower cultivars was evaluated, and a similar response in the vegetative stage was studied. Also, the possible relationship between the morphological parameters of cuttings and flower postharvest life was studied. Ethylene production of cuttings may be a useful tool for estimating ethylene production of cut flowers. There is a strong relationship between cut flower vase life and the root length of cuttings, as well as cut flower ethylene sensitivity and the number of internodes the cuttings have. Applications of exogenous ethylene to cutting cultivars have an effect on the growth parameters of the cuttings, but the response to ethylene in cut flowers does not behave in the same way in the vegetative stage.

Keywords

• cutting
• hormones
• root growth
• postharvest
• climacteric flower