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Microbial ethylene consumption in peat-soil during ethylene exposure of Begonia elatior

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Abstract

Microbial ethylene (C2H4) consumption was studied as a method of reducing the ethylene concentration during ethylene exposure of Begonia elatior in transport simulation boxes. Potted plants were exposed to an air flow (ca. 164 L h-1) with 0–1.03 ppm ethylene for 4 days in the presence of horticultural peat-soil that was induced to microbial ethylene consumption or in the presence of ethylene-oxidizing bacteria added to the peat-soil in the Begonia pots (referred to as plant soil). Ethylene consumption during transport simulation was enhanced by both procedures. However, the maximal extent of the reduction in ethylene concentrations (11–50%) was too low to significantly improve the keeping quality of the Begonia, which are known to be sensitive to ethylene exposure. A distinct ethylene consumption was due to the presence of potted Begonia in the transport simulation boxes. Batch experiments with plant soil verified such a capacity of microbial ethylene consumption. In addition, plant soil with added ethylene-oxidizing bacteria proved to be highly efficient for ethylene removal even to levels below our 0.002 ppm detection limit. With an optimized scrubber system such ethylene removal could be of further interest as a novel method of ethylene removal during transport and storage of horticultural produce.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark

    Lars Elsgaard & Lise Andersen

  2. Department of Crop Physiology and Soil Science, Research Center Foulum, DK-8830, Tjele, Denmark

    Lars Elsgaard

  3. Department of Ornamentals, Research Center Aarslev, DK-5762, Aarslev, Denmark

    Lise Andersen

Authors
  1. Lars Elsgaard
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  2. Lise Andersen
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Elsgaard, L., Andersen, L. Microbial ethylene consumption in peat-soil during ethylene exposure of Begonia elatior. Plant and Soil 202, 231–239 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004357506418

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004357506418

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