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Genotypic and phenotypic differences in fresh weight partitioning of cut rose stems: implications for water loss

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Abstract

In vase life studies, cut flower fresh weight is often recorded, but mass distribution is not. Here, we addressed the variation in mass distribution among the different cut flower organs, and assessed its role in water relations. In the first part of the study, excised leaves, flower, and stem were exposed to desiccation. Water loss (per fresh mass) of both flower and stem was low, relatively constant over time and comparable between the three studied cultivars. Instead, water loss (per fresh mass) of leaves was initially much higher, and decreased upon desiccation due to stomatal closure. Leaves had the greatest contribution to cut flower water loss, while this contribution was different among the tested cultivars. Similar findings were obtained following evaluation of the contribution of leaves, stem, and flower to cut flower transpirational water loss under conditions where water supply was not limiting. A strong correlation between the leaf weight loss in the desiccation experiment and the length of vase life was found. Low evaporative demand during vase life evaluation increased vase life, and alleviated vase life differences between cultivars. Instead, high evaporative demand during evaluation shortened vase life, and increased the noted differences in vase life between cultivars. In the second part of the study, fresh weight partitioning was assessed within and among cut rose cultivars. Among eight cultivars, same weight flowering stems may have over 11% difference in leaf weight. In conclusion, cultivar differences in transpirational water loss between cut flowers of the same weight may be attributed to variations in both stomatal characteristics and mass partitioning to the leaves.

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Abbreviations

RH:

Relative air humidity

VPD:

Vapor pressure deficit

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Project “Research & Technology Development Innovation Projects”-AgroETAK, MIS 453350, in the framework of the Operational Program ‘Human Resources Development’, through a post-doctoral grant to DF. The Project is co-funded by the European Social Fund through the National Strategic Reference Framework (Research Funding Program 2007–2013), and is coordinated by the Hellenic Agricultural Organization–DEMETER. The valuable comments of four anonymous reviewers are greatly acknowledged. The authors also wish to thank Dr. Roland Pieruschka for critically reviewing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Giannakakis SA, Export Fruits and Vegetables, Tympaki, Greece

    Dimitrios Fanourakis

  2. Plant Physiology and Morphology Laboratory, Crop Science Department, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Dimitris Bouranis

  3. Institute of Olive Tree, Subtropical Plants and Viticulture, Hellenic Agricultural Organization ‘Demeter’ (NAGREF), P.O. Box 2228, 71003, Heraklio, Greece

    Georgios Tsaniklidis

  4. Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University, P.O. Box 465, Khorramabad, Iran

    Abdolhossein Rezaei Nejad

  5. Department of Food Science, Aarhus University, Kirstinebjergvej 10, 5792, Årslev, Denmark

    Carl-Otto Ottosen

  6. Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, Bornse Weilanden 9, 6708 WG, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Ernst J. Woltering

  7. Horticulture & Product Physiology, Wageningen University, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Ernst J. Woltering

Authors
  1. Dimitrios Fanourakis
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  2. Dimitris Bouranis
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  3. Georgios Tsaniklidis
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  4. Abdolhossein Rezaei Nejad
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  5. Carl-Otto Ottosen
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  6. Ernst J. Woltering
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Correspondence to Dimitrios Fanourakis.

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Communicated by P. Wojtaszek.

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Fanourakis, D., Bouranis, D., Tsaniklidis, G. et al. Genotypic and phenotypic differences in fresh weight partitioning of cut rose stems: implications for water loss. Acta Physiol Plant 42, 48 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-020-03044-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-020-03044-w

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