New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

---

Postharvest treatments to increase water uptake and the vase life of Leptospermum scoparium Forst.

G. K. BURGE¹
R. A. BICKNELL²
B. G. DOBSON¹

1New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Private Bag 4005
Levin, New Zealand

2New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food
Research Limited
Private Bag 4704
Christchurch, New Zealand

Abstract  Postharvest stem treatments and vase-solution treatments were assessed to determine the basis of the short vase-life of detached Leptospermum scoparium Forst. stems. Stem cutting or heat treatments had little effect on water uptake or vase life. 8-hydroxyquinoline sulphate (HQS) delayed the decline in water uptake and leaf moisture content, and extended the vase life by 1-2 days. Cycloheximide (CHI) also extended the vase life by 2 days. However, the water uptake pattern and changes in leaf moisture content were different from those observed with HQS. Although the rate of flower senescence was similar, CHI treatment resulted in a marked reduction in the rate of decline of water uptake and loss of leaf moisture content. Silver thiosulphate pulse treatments had little effect on flower senescence. Sucrose reduced the rate of flower senescence and when combined with HQS extended the vase life from 3 to 9 days. This suggests that the short vase-life of L. scoparium is the result of both the sugar status and water relations of the cut stems.

Keywords  Leptospermum scoparium; vase life; water uptake; flower senescence; hydroxyquinoline sulphate; sucrose; cycloheximide

New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 1996, Vol. 24: 371-378

0114-0671/96/2404-0371 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1996

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (447K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

---

This year's abstracts | Journal home page | All abstracts | Publishing home page