HISTOCHEMICAL TEST FOR PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF CHALCONES IN ANTHERS FROM BULBS OF TULIP CV. APELDOORN PRECOOLED AT 5 °C OR KEPT AT 17 °C

Chalcones in anthers from tulip bulbs were detected by suspending 1–3 anthers in several drops of 4–5 M KOH (total volume 0.4 ml). The orange-red pigmentation in the anthers appearing within 10–60 min (positive reaction) denoted the presence of chalcones (2′,3,4,4′,6′-pentahydroxychalcone, 2′,4,4′,6′-tetrahydroxychalcone, 2′,4,4,6′-tetrahydroxy-3-methoxychalcone). The minimum amount of chalcone detected by the test was 320 nmol, as determined with synthetic 2′,4,4′,6′-tetrahydroxychalcone.

Using this simple histochemical test, we found that chalcones were not present in anthers from bulbs stored at 5 °C for 12 weeks, if storage began before September 22. However, when storage began on October 3rd-5th, chalcones were detected in 4–6 weeks.
Moreover, chalcones were always detected in anthers from bulbs cooled at 5 °C for 12 weeks and subsequently kept at 17 °C for one week (transport simulation). Chalcones were also first detected in anthers from bulbs kept at 17 °C (controls) after 2–8 weeks, depending on the date storage began.
The earlier storage began, the later was the positive reaction.

A negative result could be used to indicate uninterrupted cooling but only for special precooled bulbs cv.
Apeldoorn for which cold treatment ended during the first two weeks of December.

V International Symposium on Flower Bulbs

N. Gorin, R. Sütfeld, J. Tonecki, J.H. Franssen, N. Haanappel

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1990.266.28