Measurement of Respiration Rate and Water Balance of Cut Flowers

Abstract

A measuring system was constructed to measure respiration rate, transpiration rate and wateruptake rate of intact cut flowers in order to explain respiratory metabolism and water balanceduring senescence. The system assured both constant temperature and constant relative humidity. Respiratory metabolism and water balance of two cultivars of cut carnation flowers, each of which shows different senescence process, were measured with the system. From the results, a full understanding was gained for the change in physiological state if each cultivar after consideration ofmutual relationship between respiratory metabolism and water balance. Especially for the cultivar exhibiting climacteric behavior, physiological change in cells relating to wilting was sufficiently estimated from the macroscopic investigation in this study.