RESEARCHES CONCERNING SOME METABOLISM ASPECTS OF CUT GERBERA FLOWERS

We were interested in some aspects of the metabolism of Gerbera inflorescences, cultivars ‘Richard’ and ‘Symphonie’, undergoing a pulsing treatment, and afterwards kept in water at room temperature.

The pulsingtreatment with a solution of 20% sucrose + 0.02% 8-hydroxyquinoline sulphate + 0.0025% silver nitrate, caused a 1.5-fold rise in the intensity of respiration, and a delay in the appearance of the climacteric of 1–2days as compared with untreated inflorescences.

The content in sugars of the petals decreased during vase-life, but this diminution was greater in the non-pulsed inflorescences than in the pulsed ones.

Immediately after treatment, the activities of catalase, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase decreased in the pulsed inflorescences.
After a period of 6–7 days, the activities of these enzymes showed distinct increases, both in the pulsed and non-pulsed inflorescences.

The fresh weight of the inflorescences, the relative turgor and vase-life recorded higher values in the pulsed inflorescences than those preserved only in water.

‘Symphonie’ had higher sugar contents in the petals, a higher respiration rate and a longer vase-life as compared to ‘Richard’.

III International Symposium on Postharvest Physiology of Ornamentals

A. Amariutei, I. Burzo, C. Alexe

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.181.41