Abstract
Cut flowers of carnation ‘Excerea’, treated with or without silver thiosulfate (STS) showed the same vase life as when kept in Misaki, a commercial preservative, or 1 to 2% fructose with germicide at 32°C. In-rolling of petals did not occur at 32°C until day 14, even though flowers were not treated with STS. However, flowers without STS treatment showed in-rolling on day 9 at 24°C. Flowers without STS treatment, reached a climacteric peak of ethylene during day 8 to 10 at 24°C, whereas flowers at 32°C produced very little ethylene. Flowers, kept at 32°C and then transferred to 24°C, showed a climacteric peak of ethylene, but the peak was lower than that at continuous 24°C. Flowers, kept at 24°C for 1-5 days and then transferred to 32°C, produced very little ethylene. These results suggest that high-temperature keeping conditions inhibit ethylene production in cut carnation flowers.
