• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.139-143
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• 2011

This research was conducted to figure out the effect of 1-methylcyclopropene, one of inhibitors of ethylene on the vase life of cut alstroemeria 'Alpine', snapdragon 'Fuji no Yuki', dahlia 'Toast, and lily 'Georgia'. Four kinds of cut flowers were treated with 250, 500, and 750 ppb of 1-MCP respectively for 12 hours. In case of cut alstroemeria, no significant difference was found between the untreated control and the treated ones in the days to flowering. The vase life in the treated ones, however, was extended for over two days, and the treated one with 250 ppb had the longest record with 17.1 days. In every treated ones of cut snapdragon, the remaining florets was more than that of the untreated control. The vase life showed, however, no difference. With the 1-MCP treatment, the vase life of cut dahlia was longer about two days than that of the untreated control. However, water uptake showed the opposite result. The vase life of cut lily showed no significant differences in all treatments. In case of water absorption, the treated one with 750 ppb uptaken more water by 3 ml.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.288-292
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• 1999

It was previously reported that cobalt(II) effectively suppresses the postharvest gravitropic response of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) (Kim et al. (1997) Agric. Chem. and Biotechnol. 40, 567-571). In this study, several factors affecting the suppression of the gravitropic response by cobalt ion were examined. When flower stalks of snapdragon were pretreated with several different cobalt salts, cobalt nitrate turned out to be the most effective not only in reducing the response but also in preserving the flower quality. We also tested the effects of various detergents which were added to cobalt(II) solution, finding that Tween-40 was the best among the tested with respect to the effectiveness as well as the flower quality. Based on these results, we optimized a protocol for the chemical treatment; that is, a suppressor solution containing 10 mM $CO(NO_3)_2$ and 0.05% Tween-40 was directly sprayed on the gravitropically sensitive region of cut flowers of snapdragon. The suppressor treatment gave rise to a significantly improved results when the flower stalks were stored at a lower temperature after the chemical treatment.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.350-351
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• 1998

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of reflective film(RF) mulching on the growth and flowering of snapdragon 'Fujinoyuki' in greenhouse cultivation. On the spectroradiometry of mulching materials in the wavelength zone of 300nm to 1100nm, 85% of total light source was reflected from RF, while over 95% was absorbed into black polyethylene film(BL). Under plant canopy, light, air temperature, and leaf temperature were higher on the RF mulching than BL, but soil temperature and soil heat flux were higher under the BL. Primary plant growth such as dry weight, stem hardness, lodging, and transpiration was superior when using RF mulching. RF mulching accelerated the plants to bloom about 12 days earlier with admirable cut flower quality.

• FLOWER RESEARCH JOURNAL
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.76-84
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• 2008

This study was conducted to find out the cause of discoloration after pressing yellow-colored flowers. Plant materials used were Lilium Asiatic Hybrids, Oncidium spp., Rosa hybrida, $Tulipa{\times}gesneriana$, Antirrhinum majus, Dianthus caryophyllus, Freesia hybrida, Zantedeschia elliottiana, Gerbera jamesonii, Helianthus annuus, and Ranunculus asiaticus. Thickness, ratio of length to width, and water content of petals did not considerably affect discoloration of pressed flowers. Expression of yellow color in petals was caused by carotenoids in Lilium Asiatic Hybrids, Oncidium spp., Rosa hybrida and $Tulipa{\times}gesneriana$, by flavonoids in Antirrhinum majus, Dianthus caryophyllus, Freesia hybrida and Zantedeschia elliottiana, and by coexistence of carotenoids and flavonoids in Gerbera jamesonii, Helianthus annuus and Ranunculus asiaticus. Carotenoids that expressed yellow color in petals affected significantly on discoloration in pressed flowers containing carotenoids alone or both carotenoids and flavonoids. However, discoloration was hardly ever found in yellow-colored species as affected by flavonoids. Dark treatment was effective for almost perfect preservation in color of pressed flowers, while light treatment resulted in severe discoloration.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.567-571
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• 1997

Numbers of chemical agents which have been shown to inhibit either auxin signal transduction pathway or ethylene formation in plant cells were applied to cut flower stems of snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) and their effects on the postharvest gravitropic response were studied. The chemical treatments were done by submerging either the stem base or the top part of cut flower, which involves the gravistimulus-sensitive region, for 1 h at $25^{\circ}C$. When the chemicals were supplied from the cut stem base, the gravitropic upward bending of flower stalks kept horizontally after the treatments with 20 mM CDTA or 10 mM $CoCl_2$ was comparable to that of the untreated control, but o-vanadate showed a certain degree of effectiveness for suppressing the bending response. In contrast, the direct application of those agents to the gravitropically sensitive region of cut flowers in the presence of 0.01% Triton X-100 resulted in a substantial reduction of the gravitropic response. In the case of 20 mM $CoCl_2$ treatment, almost total elimination of gravitropism without any significant deterioration of flower quality was observed. The results indicate the possibility of preparation of a protocol involving $CoCl_2$ and a proper surfactant for commercial use to suppress the gravitropic response of cut flowers during postharvest storage and transportation.