New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts
Maturity and temperature influence ethylene-promoted organ abscission in
Camellia
ALLAN B. WOOLF1
JULIE A. PLUMMER2
JOHN CLEMENS
Institute of Molecular BioSciences
Massey University
Private Bag 11 222
Palmerston North, New Zealand
1Present address: The Horticulture and Food Research Institute of
New Zealand Ltd, Private Bag 92 169, Auckland, New Zealand. email:
AWoolf@hort.cri.nz
2Present address: Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, The
University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA 9007, Australia.
Abstract The influence of temperature (1-25deg.C) and
maturity on organ abscission promoted by a range of ethylene concentrations
(0.3-100 ul litre-1) was examined on stem explants of two
Camellia cultivars (`Anticipation' and `Donation'; C. saluenensis
x C. japonica). Time to abscission of 50% of leaf and floral buds was
measured. Leaves were most responsive during stem elongation following
vegetative budbreak. In contrast, ethylene-responsiveness of floral buds
gradually increased with maturity. Low temperatures (1-5deg.C) reduced the rate
of abscission response to ethylene at all concentrations, but with greatest
effect at low concentrations (<2 ul litre-1). Floral buds of both
Camellia cultivars were more sensitive to ethylene than leaves.
Application of a high ethylene concentration correctly determined relative
abscission differences for maturity effects, but inter-organ differences
required a range of ethylene concentrations. It is proposed that
"responsiveness" be defined as differences in abscission response to a high
ethylene concentration (e.g. 10 ul litre-1), whereas differences in
abscission response to low ethylene concentrations (<1 ul
litre-1) be defined as "sensitivity" differences.
Keywords plant growth regulators; floriculture; plant export;
sensitivity; responsiveness
H97025
Received 14 July 1997; accepted 10 November 1998
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