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Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2020) | Viewed by 33590

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Shimon Meir

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Guest Editor

Department of Postharvest Science, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, 68 HaMaccabim Road, P.O. Box 15159, Rishon LeZiyon 7528809, Israel
Interests: cut flowers physiology; abscission regulation; leaf and flower petal senescence; flower pigmentation; plant hormones; ethylene–auxin interactions

Dr. Sonia Philosoph-Hadas

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Guest Editor

Department of Postharvest Science, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, 68 HaMaccabim Road, P.O. Box 15159, Rishon LeZiyon 7528809, Israel
Interests: physiology of cut flowers, ornamental foliage and flower bulbs; gravitropism of flowering shoots; ethylene biosynthesis pathway and action; flower pigmentation; senescence and abscission of leaf and flower; water relations

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The ornamentals industry is a very important agricultural sector. More than 90 countries are active in the floriculture world, with the global ornamental trade volume of cut flowers/foliage and potted plants reaching more than US$130 billion these days. The postharvest quality of these ornamental products is mainly dependent on their visual value, when the consumer expects an attractive appearance for at least 7 vase life days for cut flower/foliage bouquets, and at least 3 weeks for flowering/green potted plants under indoor conditions. To improve this ornamental industry and meet future postharvest quality requirements, there is a need for further research to get a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the various physiological processes operating after harvest in these ornamental products, including: flower opening and growth, water balance, pigmentation, gravitropic response, senescence, and abscission. This research can lead to the development of new strategies for quality control of ornamental products during storage, transport, and vase/shelf life. You are invited to submit to this Special Issue your latest scientific research findings dealing with various aspects of postharvest physiology of cut ornamentals and potted plants, focusing on the following main topics: (1) the role and use of various plant hormones and/or carbohydrates for postharvest handling and quality maintenance; (2) novel biological control agents against various pathogens; (3) adopting environmentally friendly and sustainable strategies for improving the keeping quality; (4) determination of water balance aspects after harvest (aquaporines, photoacoustic methods, hydraulic anatomy); and (5) links between structures and physiological functions after harvest. Manuscripts on other related topics are also welcomed.

Dr. Shimon Meir
Dr. Sonia Philosoph-Hadas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

cut flowers and foliage
senescence
abscission
pigmentation
pathogens control
water relations
gravitropic bending
vase/shelf life
plant hormones
carbohydrates

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

2 pages, 177 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation

by Shimon Meir and Sonia Philosoph-Hadas

Agronomy 2021, 11(12), 2387; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11122387 - 24 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1218

Abstract

The ornamentals industry is a very important agricultural sector [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

15 pages, 1166 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Oxygen Consumption by Phalaenopsis Plantlets and Chrysanthemum Cuttings as a Function of Temperature and Time: Model Structure Validation

by Lieven Van de Vondel, Annelies Christiaens, An Vermeulen, Marie-Christine Van Labeke, Frank Devlieghere and Peter Ragaert

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020237 - 28 Jan 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1739

Abstract

Phalaenopsis spp. and Chrysanthemum are ornamentals with an important economic value. Currently, quality loss during storage and transport of plantlets and cuttings is a limiting factor for spreading the workload, broadening the export range, and the use of slower but more environmentally friendly transport. In the agro-food sector, equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging has enhanced the shelf-life of minimally processed produce. The required properties for an equilibrium modified atmosphere packaging system can be estimated from the respiration rate of the packaged commodity under specified atmospheric composition and storage temperature. In this work, a model structure is validated to estimate the respiration rate as a function of oxygen concentration and temperature for Phalaenopsis and Chrysanthemum. The oxygen concentration as a function of time was monitored in a closed system for different storage temperatures. The models show a good fit to the data. The model coefficients were dependent on the plant species and characteristics. The resulting formulae can be used to estimate the oxygen consumption rate of the produce under a range of oxygen concentrations and a temperature range from 15 °C to 32 °C for Phalaenopsis and from 2 °C to 14 °C for Chrysanthemum. The oxygen concentrations for which the formulae are valid depend on the storage temperature and plant species. The models can be used to estimate a dynamic oxygen consumption rate profile during storage and transport. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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15 pages, 1590 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Postharvest Treatments with Nanosilver on Senescence of Cut Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum (Raf.) Shinn.) Flowers

by Ewa Skutnik, Aleksandra Łukaszewska and Julita Rabiza-Świder

Agronomy 2021, 11(2), 215; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11020215 - 23 Jan 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3188

Abstract

Lisianthus is among the most popular cut flowers. Regarding the postharvest losses, these experiments were designed to compare the effects of a nanosilver (NS) based preservative to the standard preservative containing 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate (8-HQC) and sucrose (S). Additionally, the effect of 24 h conditioning in the NS solution on the postharvest longevity and the general condition of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum ‘Mariachi Blue’) was tested. The vase life of flowers on conditioned and non-conditioned stems was extended by the preservatives, more so by NS + S than by 8-HQC + S (44–54% versus 13–23%). Conditioning had no detectable effect on longevity. Daily water uptake showed alternative peaks and drops, with a general tendency of the uptake rate to decrease over time. The highest uptake intensity and the highest transpiration rate were in stems in the NS + S solution while the lowest was in 8-HQC + S. Conditioning negatively affected the average fresh weight of the flowering stems in all holding solutions with stems in preservatives being heavier than those in water. Preservatives did not induce accumulation of the total soluble or reducing sugars in petals; such accumulation was promoted by conditioning, but only in the upper flowers. The free proline content increased in senescing lower flowers on non-conditioned stems; conditioning limited this increase in flowers in preservatives. In the upper flowers, free proline increased in both water controls while the preservatives and conditioning generally reduced the proline contents below the initial level. Conditioning lowered the hydrogen peroxide contents in senescing lower flowers, relative to the initial level and the non-conditioned stems. The catalase activity kept dropping during the vase life in both the lower and upper flowers, in conditioned and non-conditioned stems, with the exception of flowers from water where the activity remained the highest from all three treatments. It appears that the NS preservative with sucrose improves the overall condition of lisianthus flowers and extends their vase life. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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16 pages, 3422 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Involvement of Ethylene in Physiological Processes Determining the Vase Life of Various Hybrids of Mokara Orchid Cut Flowers

by Melada Wongjunta, Chalermchai Wongs-Aree, Shoshana Salim, Shimon Meir, Sonia Philosoph-Hadas and Mantana Buanong

Agronomy 2021, 11(1), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11010160 - 16 Jan 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3057

Abstract

There is limited information about the postharvest performance and physiology of Mokara orchid cut flowers, which are a special group of artificially created trigenetic hybrids of Vanda × Arachnis × Ascocentrum. Therefore, we first characterized the patterns of various physiological parameters during vase life of five Mokara hybrids, which differ in their longevity. Then, we examined the effects of ethephon and ethylene inhibitors on these physiological parameters, and on parameters of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway, during vase life of two selected Mokara hybrids, “Moo-deang” and “Dao-lai”, which showed significant differences in their vase life duration and senescence symptoms. The results demonstrate that the differences in vase life longevity among the five Mokara hybrids are due to differences in their ethylene production rates, which regulate flower development processes expressed in bud opening and floret senescence. The results clearly show that ethylene is involved in the regulation of the Mokara flower senescence, and pretreatment with ethylene inhibitors significantly improved their vase life longevity. Thus, ethylene seems to be the main factor that determines the longevity differences of the Mokara hybrids, rather than their water relations parameters. This study can serve as a research tool for developing effective postharvest treatments for Mokara hybrids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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13 pages, 806 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of PGRs on Antioxidant Activity and Phytochemical in Delay Senescence of Lily Cut Flowers

by Sabir Aziz, Adnan Younis, Muhammad Jafar Jaskani and Rashid Ahmad

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111704 - 3 Nov 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2516

Abstract

The short vase life is the major problem in the cut flower industry. This study was conducted to evaluate the role of different vase solutions and oils in enhancing the quality and vase life of lily cut flowers. Salicylic acid (SA; 300 mg L⁻¹), citric acid (CA; 300 mg L⁻¹), gibberellic acid (GA; 100 mg L⁻¹), and clove oil (200 mg L⁻¹) were used as vase solutions. These treatments were applied after pulsing with preoptimized sucrose 5%. It was found that SA (300 mg L⁻¹) + sucrose (5%) improved the performance of cut flowers, which further increased the longevity of all tested lily cultivars up to eight days and the longest vase life by 17.6 days. The maximum change in fresh weight (5.60 g), increase in chlorophyll contents (3.2 SPAD value), highest protein content (6.1 mg g⁻¹FW), and increase in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (51.0 U g⁻¹ protein), catalase (CAT) (36.3 U g⁻¹ protein), and peroxidase (POD) (41.6 U g⁻¹ protein), were recorded with the CA (300 mg L⁻¹) + sucrose 5%. Among the cultivars, “Zambesi” performed best compared to “Sorbonne” and “Caesars”. The maximum anthocyanin contents (198%) were recorded in “Caesars”. In conclusion, among the different preservative solutions, SA performed best to prolong the vase life and quality of lily cut flowers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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21 pages, 4131 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Extending Cut Paeonia Lactiflora Pall. Storage Duration Using Sub-Zero Storage Temperatures

by Nathan J. Jahnke, John M. Dole, Ben A. Bergmann, Guoying Ma and Penelope Perkins-Veazie

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1694; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111694 - 1 Nov 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2791

Abstract

Cut peonies (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) have a relatively short vase life and limited availability due to seasonal production. Cultivars Festiva Maxima (FM), Monsieur Jules Elie (MJE), and Sarah Bernhardt (SB) stored at 0.7 °C had a longer flower open time at 12 weeks of storage compared to those held at −3.1 or 3.5 °C, while the flower bud time was unaffected. The flower open time of FM and MJE was no different for stems stored at a sub-zero temperature of −0.6 °C for 16 weeks compared to non-stored stems. Flower quality, opening, and lack of deformity was reduced at 16 weeks of storage in comparison to non-stored flowers, but higher for stems stored at −0.6 °C compared to 0.7 °C. Pre-treating stems before storage with pulses of a commercial hydrator solution or a 200 g·L⁻¹ sucrose solution for 2 h at 4 °C had little commercial significance compared to non-pulsed control stems. The total phenolic content, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase were not effective indicators of open time or quality loss. This study is the first to demonstrate the successful use of a non-freezing, sub-zero storage temperature for peony, and the first to store cut peonies for 16 weeks, despite an increased risk of reduced flower quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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14 pages, 2486 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of the Long-Term Cold Storage and Preservatives on Senescence of Cut Herbaceous Peony Flowers

by Ewa Skutnik, Julita Rabiza-Świder, Agata Jędrzejuk and Aleksandra Łukaszewska

Agronomy 2020, 10(11), 1631; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10111631 - 23 Oct 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3574

Abstract

Recently peonies have become very popular cut flowers. As peony flowering period is short, long term cold storage could assure its prolonged supply and make long distance transport feasible. The effect of dry cold storage, of 8-hydroxyquinoline and nanosilver preservatives on the peony keeping qualities were tested on the most popular cultivar ‘Sarah Bernhardt’. The 12 week storage (0–1 °C) shortened flower longevity by 20%, to 8 days and no vascular blockages in the shoots were observed. However, the presence of callose, not considered as a blocking factor, was evident. The sucrose-containing preservatives with either 8-hydroxyquinoline or nanosilver did not extend the flower longevity but they increased flower diameters in both fresh and stored material. Generally, the soluble total and reducing sugars increased in senescing flowers in both non-stored and stored flowers, and they were lower after storage. The free proline increased ca. 20-times during cold storage and at the end of the vase life it remained generally higher in the stored than in fresh flowers. The level of hydrogen peroxide dropped after 12 weeks storage and its contents at the end of the vase life differed depending on the holding solution. Generally it was lower after storage. Storage increased the catalase activity which remained on higher levels in stored flowers from all holding solutions as compared to freshly cut flowers. A five-fold reduction in the peroxidase activity occurred during storage but its activities at the end of the vase life were similar in stored and non-stored flowers. The effects of nanosilver and 8-hydroxyquinoline were similar. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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19 pages, 9204 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Postharvest Treatments Improve Quality of Cut Peony Flowers

by Julita Rabiza-Świder, Ewa Skutnik, Agata Jędrzejuk and Aleksandra Łukaszewska

Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1583; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101583 - 16 Oct 2020

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 6612

Abstract

Peony is one of the most important ornamental plants in the international flower market, but has a relatively short vase life in water. This study tested the effects of 8-hydroxyquinoline citrate (8-HQC) and nanosilver (NS) in combination with sucrose, as well as two commercial preservatives, on the longevity and some physiological and biochemical aspects of senescence of cut flowers of 14 cultivars. Responses varied both by cultivar and treatment. The preservatives extended the vase life in only five cultivars; however, in nine cultivars, preservatives increased the flower diameter and improved the general flower appearance. Blockages in xylem vessels started to appear soon after harvest. Both NS and 8-HQC with sucrose prevented tylose formation, while bacterial blockages were reduced only by the NS solution. Reduction in stem blockages did not translate into better water balance or flower longevity. The highest carbohydrate accumulation in petals was observed in the NS solution. Preservatives mitigated the rise in free amino acids, including free proline. They did not prevent an increase in H₂O₂ content but flowers in preservatives generally had higher catalase activity than in the control. As solutions with NS produced comparable or even better results than 8-HQC, we recommend the latter as a component of a preservative for cut peony flowers. However, cultivar-specific responses indicate that postharvest treatments must be individually tailored to each cultivar. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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14 pages, 1065 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) on the Biochemical and Physiological Parameters of Postharvest Quality of Polygonatum multiflorum L. All. ‘Variegatum’ Cut Foliage

by Katarzyna Rubinowska, Elżbieta Pogroszewska and Paweł Szot

Agronomy 2020, 10(10), 1502; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10101502 - 2 Oct 2020

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1779

Abstract

Due to the dynamic development of the floriculture market, new species and varieties of plants that can potentially be used as a source of cut greenery are constantly being sought. The experiment was conducted to analyze the effect of the cultivation site (unheated foil tunnel and open field) and treatments with the Pentakeep V formulation (0.00%, 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06%) on the vase life and postharvest quality of Polygonatum multiflorum ‘Variegatum’ cut foliage. There was a positive effect of the cultivation in the unheated foil tunnel on the vase life and biochemical parameters, namely the electrolyte leakage (E_L), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), chlorophyll a + b (Chl. a + b), proline, peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), of P. multiflorum cut foliage. Foliar application of Pentakeep V formulation at concentrations of 0.04% and 0.06% contributed to a decrease in the TBARS content in the P. multiflorum cut leaves, regardless of the plant cultivation site. Additionally, it reduced proline production in cut leaves of P. multiflorum cultivated in the unheated foil tunnel, which was confirmed by the analyses carried out after the 30 days of the experiment. Furthermore, the exogenous application of ALA during P. multiflorum cultivation inhibited POD activity, irrespective of its concentration and the site of plant cultivation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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14 pages, 1802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Floral Scent Evaluation of Three Cut Flowers Through Sensorial and Gas Chromatography Analysis

by Danilo Aros, Nicole Garrido, Constanza Rivas, Marcela Medel, Carsten Müller, Hilary Rogers and Cristina Úbeda

Agronomy 2020, 10(1), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy10010131 - 16 Jan 2020

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 6161

Abstract

The main function of floral scent is to attract and guide pollinators, but it is also an important character in the ornamental plant industry. Several studies have considered the chemical evaluation of floral scent during vase life, but only a few have considered sensorial analysis of this character, which is a very important quality trait for the marketing of ornamental plants. This study focused on assessing the floral scent of three fragrant cut flowers of high economic importance: Lilium, chrysanthemum, and freesia. Eighty individuals were included in a sensorial analysis where the attributes of floral scent liking and intensity were evaluated. The composition of the floral scent was analyzed through the collection of headspace followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The floral scents of oriental lily and freesia were perceived as more intense, compared to chrysanthemum. A total of 28 volatile compounds were detected and the monoterpenes β-pinene (40.7 ± 1.8 μg·L⁻¹), β-cis-ocimene (5552 ± 990 μg·L⁻¹), and linalool (11,800 ± 220 μg·L⁻¹) were the major volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in chrysanthemum, lilium, and freesia, respectively. The results presented in this study confirm that the concentration and abundance of volatile compounds is not directly related to the human perception of floral scent. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals: Processes and Their Regulation)

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