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Roles of pollination and short-chain saturated fatty acids in flower senescence

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Abstract

Pollination induced an immediate increase in ethylene production in Dianthus caryophyllus and Petunia hybrida. In Cymbidium, a lag of several hours was observed. In all three species, pollination induced premature flower senescence. Treatment of the stigmatic surface with aminoethoxyvinylglycine prior to pollination effectively blocked the increase in ethylene production and alleviated the detrimental effect of pollination on flower life.

In all three tested species, octanoic and decanoic acids, when applied to the stigmatic surface, had no effect on ethylene production and flower life. In isolated Cymbidium lips placed with their cut base in solutions containing these fatty acids, no effects on red colouration, ethylene production, and ethylene forming enzyme activity were observed. In addition, ethylene sensitivity of isolated lips was not affected. The putative regulatory role of short-chain saturated fatty acids in (pollination-induced) flower senescence is discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agrotechnological Research Institute (ATO), P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    E. J. Woltering, M. Van Hout & D. Somhorst

  2. Dept. of Molecular and Laser Physics, University of Nijmegen, Toernooiveld, 6525 ED, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    F. Harren

Authors
  1. E. J. Woltering
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  2. M. Van Hout
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  3. D. Somhorst
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  4. F. Harren
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Woltering, E.J., Van Hout, M., Somhorst, D. et al. Roles of pollination and short-chain saturated fatty acids in flower senescence. Plant Growth Regul 12, 1–10 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00144575

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00144575

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