Search

Senescence represents a developmentally orchestrated and precisely regulated cascade of events, culminating in the abscission of plant organs and ultimately leading to the demise of the plant or its constituent parts. In this study, we observed that senescence in cut Lilium tigrinum flowers is induced by elevated ABA levels and the hyperactivation of lipoxygenase (LOX) activity. This cascade increased ROS concentrations, heightened oxidative damage, and disrupted cellular redox equilibrium. This was evidenced by elevated lipid peroxidation, attenuated antioxidant machinery, and reduced membrane stability index (MSI). Despite its known role in delaying flower senescence, the specific biochemical and molecular mechanisms by which nitric oxide (NO) regulates senescence in cut L. tigrinum flowers are not fully elucidated. Specifically, the interactions between NO signaling and ABA metabolism, the regulation of protease activity, and the influence of NO-mediated ROS scavenging, senescence-associated gene expression requires further exploration. Exogenous application of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a source of NO, mitigated senescence in L. tigrinum cut flowers by upregulating the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and reducing the LOX activity, an indicator of lipid peroxidation. SNP treatment also downregulated the relative expression of senescence-associated gene (SAG12), lipoxygenase 1 (LOX1), and abscisic aldehyde oxidase 3 (AAO3). NO also upregulated defender against apoptotic death 1 (DAD1) expression correlated with minimized protease activity and reduced α-amino acid content in SNP-treated tepals. This regulation was accompanied by increased contents of sugars, proteins and phenols and reduced abscisic acid content, which collectively delayed the senesecence and enhanced the longevity of L. tigrinum cut flowers. This study demonstrates that exogenous SNP application can effectively mitigate senescence in cut L. tigrinum flowers by modulating antioxidant enzyme activities, reducing oxidative stress, and regulating the expression of key senescence-associated genes. This study unravels the complex molecular networks involved in NO-mediated senescence delay, which may lead to the development of innovative approaches for improving flower longevity. Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be a key regulator of flower senescence, affecting various physiological and biochemical processes. Research has indicated that NO can prolong the vase life and postpone senescence in cut flowers by adjusting senescence-related genes and interacting with other molecules and pathways. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of nitric oxide in influencing various biochemical, physiological, and molecular factors; with the ultimate goal of delaying tepal senescence in isolated flowers of Lilium tigrinum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the demand for locally grown specialty cut flowers increases, cultivars of Pycnosorus globosus and Caryotperis incana are becoming more available for growers to produce as cuts. However, protocols for year-round greenhouse production are limited. Therefore, our objective was to determine if the photoperiod influences flower induction and development, time to harvest, yield, and morphology of billy buttons (Pycnosorus globosus) 'Paintball Globe' and 'Paintball Poppy' and bluebeard (Caryopteris incana) 'Pagoda Lagoon' and 'Pagoda Dark Pink' to facilitate commercial greenhouse production. Shoot-tip cuttings were rooted and transplanted into bulb crates and placed in a greenhouse with a mean daily air temperature of 20 °C and 9-, 10-, 11-, 12-, 13-, 14-, 15-, or 16-hour photoperiods or a 9-hour short day (SD) with a 4-hour night interruption (NI) from 2200 to 0200 HR for 11 weeks. Billy buttons initiated inflorescences and developed flowers under all daylengths; however, the greatest stem lengths were recorded under long days (LDs). Bluebeard inflorescences initiated under all daylengths were tested. Time to visible inflorescence and flower was hastened under daylengths ≥14 hours, whereas inflorescences under the 16-h photoperiod or 4-h NI never fully developed. For 'Pagoda Lagoon' and 'Pagoda Dark Pink', the critical daylengths for flower development were 14 hours and 15 hours, respectively. On average, only bluebeard 'Pagoda Lagoon' harvested under photoperiods $10 hours developed marketable stem lengths (>40 cm). To hasten time to visible inflorescence and harvest and ensure marketable stem lengths, billy buttons should be grown under daylengths $13 hours. Based on these results, we recommend growing bluebeard under a 16-hour photoperiod or NI for 4 to 6 weeks to promote vegetative growth, followed by an 11- to 14-hour photoperiod for flower induction and development. We classify billy buttons as a day-neutral plant for flower induction and a facultative LD plant for flower development. Similarly, bluebeard can be classified as a facultative SD plant for flower induction and an obligate SD plant for flower development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) individually or combination with gibberellic acid (GA 3) increase vase life of dahlia cut flower. • Postharvest quality of cut flower improves treated with SNP and GA 3 PGRs. • Physiological traits such as solution uptake, fresh weight, anthocyanin content, etc. improves in cut flower by using both PGRs. • Exogenous SNP and GA 3 modulates antioxidant activity (CAT, SOD, POD, MDA) in dahlia cut flower. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the impacts of both sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and gibberellic acid (GA 3) separately and in combination on the longevity of Dahlia cut flowers. Additionally, the potential physiological and biochemical changes associated with these treatments are also examined. Cut flowers treated with nitric oxide donor SNP and GA 3 significantly improved all postharvest characteristics of cut flowers, including vase life and other physiological characteristics, as compared to control. Flowers treated with T 15 (SNP 20 mg L-l + GA 3 20 mg L-l) resulted in maximum vase life, followed by treatment T 3 (SNP 20 mg-l) and minimum vase life recorded in control. Treatment T 15 (SNP 20 mg L-l + GA 3 20 mg L-l) shows an improvement in all biochemical activities, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase activity, except malondialdehyde accumulation, as compared with untreated cut flowers. Thus, SNP alone or along with GA 3 as a pulsing solution could be a promising approach to improving the postharvest quality of dahlia cut flowers by influencing physiological and biochemical modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the current reliance on manual sorting and grading of spray rose cut flowers, this paper proposed an improved YOLOv5s model for intelligent recognition and grading detection of rose color series and flowering index of spray rose cut flowers. By incorporating small-scale anchor boxes and small object feature output, the model enhanced the annotation accuracy and the detection precision for occluded rose flowers. Additionally, a convolutional block attention module attention mechanism was integrated into the original network structure to improve the model's feature extraction capability. The WIoU loss function was employed in place of the original CIoU loss function to increase the precision of the model's post-detection processing. Test results indicated that for two types of spray rose cut flowers, Orange Bubbles and Yellow Bubbles, the improved YOLOv5s model achieved an accuracy and recall improvement of 10.2% and 20.0%, respectively. For randomly collected images of spray rose bouquets, the model maintained a detection accuracy of 95% at a confidence threshold of 0.8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum Raf. Shinn.) is a valued plant known for its diverse flower colors and long vase life. Despite considerable research on the physiological roles of osmolytes, polyamines, and phenolic compounds, there is a lack of understanding regarding their specific accumulation patterns across various lisianthus cultivars and organs. This study aims to compare eleven lisianthus cultivars with varying flowering periods according to their accumulation of osmolytes, polyamines, phenolic content, and antioxidant capacities and measure their resistance to abiotic stress factors. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with fluorescent detection was employed to quantify putrescine (PUT), spermidine (SPD), and spermine (SPM). In addition, proline (PRO), glycine betaine (GB), antioxidant capacities, phenolic content, and flavonoid contents were assessed spectrophotometrically. This comprehensive analysis allowed for a detailed understanding of the biochemical markers. The result indicates a significant genotype and organ-dependent variation in accumulation patterns of inspected metabolites and antioxidant activities. The petals of Rosita Green exhibited the highest levels of phenols and flavonoids, whereas the petals of Rosita Blue Picote demonstrated the highest concentrations of osmolytes. Polyamines were found to be more concentrated in the petals than in the leaves. The average values indicated high levels of polyamines in the Mariachi Carmine (PUT 186.72 nmol g−1 DW) and Mariachi Pink (SPD 227.4 nmol g−1 DW) cultivars. These findings underscore the significance of inspected compounds in stress tolerance among cultivars with different flowering periods, providing insights for optimizing cultivation strategies for lisianthus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to evaluate the feasibility of using sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as a substitute for peat in lily cultivation, this study examines the effects of replacing different amounts of peat (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) with SCB on the physical and chemical properties of the substrate. The impact on the growth of cut flower and bulbs of the oriental lily variety 'Siberia' was investigated. The results show that the pH value, organic matter content, and reducing sugar content of the substrate were significantly increased (p < 0.05) when peat was replaced with SCB. Moreover, the bulk density, permeability porosity, water-holding porosity, and EC value, as well as the contents of hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, exchangeable calcium, and exchangeable magnesium were significantly decreased (p < 0.05). The bulk density (0.15–0.17 g·cm3), total porosity (64.2–69.6%), and water-holding porosity (41.0–48.4%) of the mixed media were in a suitable range. The addition of SCB led to shorter plant height, a thinner stalk, and a smaller leaf and flower diameter. The contents of total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a and b in leaves, as well as the activities of sucrose synthetase (SS) and sucrose phosphate synthetase (SPS) decreased with the increase in SCB in the substrates at different growth stages of lily cut flowers. The correlation analysis showed that, except for bulb height, other quality traits of cut flowers and bulbs were significantly negatively correlated with the pH, organic matter, and reducing sugar content of substrates. Plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, leaf length and width, flower diameter of cut flowers, as well as the fresh weight, starch content, the activities of SS and SPS of bulbs were significantly positively correlated with the bulk density, total porosity, water-holding porosity, and hydrolyzed N content of substrates (p < 0.05). The load factors of the principal components indicated that the diameter of stem and flower, leaf number, the content of chlorophyll a and b, and total chlorophyll of cut flowers and SPS activity in bulbs could be used as the core indicators for evaluating the suitability of lily cultivation substrate. In conclusion, when the proportion of peat replaced with SCB was lower than 50%, the quality of cut flowers and bulbs was the same as that found with whole peat. Thus, SCB has broad application prospects in the soilless cultivation of lily plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The longevity of cut flowers is associated with various physio-biochemical traits. To extend vase life (VL) of cut flowers, a wide range of chemical-based preservatives solutions have been used, which raise the concerns of human health and environmental pollution. This study explored the potential of using ascorbic acid (AsA) to naturally extend the VL of cut sword lily (Gladiolus grandifloras) 'White Prosperity' flowers. Fresh spikes were placed in vase solutions containing 1, 2, 3 and 4% AsA solutions, denoted as AsA1, AsA2, AsA3 and AsA4, respectively, as well as distilled water (DsW) as control. The AsA solutions prolonged the VL from 5.75 to 12.5 days. The treatment AsA4 significantly improved the relative fresh weight, floret diameter, the number of open florets, and chlorophyll contents. Ascorbic acid decreased oxidative stress (malondialdehyde and hydrogen peroxide) and boosted proline and total soluble proteins levels in cut sword lily, indicating a link with reduced water stress. AsA application improved phenols and sugars in the florets. Bacterial count was low in AsA-based vase solutions. Overall, AsA4 had the best performance with respect to VL and other associated traits. Given the encouraging outcomes of the ongoing research, AsA may be recommended as a viable postharvest treatment to extend the VL of sword lily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As rose rootstocks have differential effects on scion cultivars due to significant diversity and incompatibility between grafted/budded components, identification of suitable rootstock for new cut rose hybrid (Arka Swadesh) is necessary for soil-based production system in protected condition. The flower stalk yields (212.9–221.8 m−2 year−1) and stalk length in cut rose budded on Natal Briar and Rosa multiflora were similar, but were significantly higher than on thornless rootstock Nishkant. There was consistency in yielding pattern of cut rose on Natal Briar in all seasons. Photosynthetic parameters were presumably in tune with yielding pattern in cut rose. The flower stalk yield in cut rose was higher on Natal Briar due to higher physiological and nutrient use efficiencies despite lower net photosynthesis. Both Rosa multiflora and Natal Briar rootstocks exhibited better nutrient profile of flower stalk in cut rose. Higher uptake of N, P, Ca, Zn, Mn and Cu by cut rose on Rosa multiflora and that of K, Mg and Fe on Natal Briar imply that rootstocks have preferential uptake pattern. The acquisition efficiency of N and P was higher in cut rose budded on Rosa multiflora and that of K on Natal Briar. Natal Briar rootstock exhibited better root characteristics. In the root zone, all rootstocks maintained the soil pH near to neutral (7.22–7.25), enriched the SOC status and ensured the availability of soil nutrients at optimum to above optimum level. The yielding and resource use pattern indicate that Natal Briar is an efficient rootstock for cut rose followed by Rosa multiflora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Four Aranda hybrids, including Aranda Bangkhuntian Gold, A. Calypso, A. Royal Sapphire and A. Sayan Duangporn were analyzed for their bioactive substances and antioxidative activities as commercial cut flowers with suggested medicinal properties. Methods: A completely randomized design was conducted for this study. Total flavonoids, total phenolics and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferrous ion (Fe (II)) radical scavenging activities were analyzed from the ethanoic extracts of four parts, including flower bud, blooming flowers, leaves and roots of the four Aranda cultivars. Furthermore, the dried powder samples were kept at room temperature (25-28°C) or cool (5-7°C) for six months to compare the bioactive substances and antioxidative activities after storage. Result: In most Aranda hybrids, the leaf ethanolic extracts had the highest total flavonoids and total phenolic contents range from 26.63-40.05 mg rutin equivalent (RUE)/g extract and 152.00-254.13 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g extract, respectively, which is remarkably different from the floral parts (bud or blooming flowers) that had only 8.00-20.80 mg RUE/g extract and 97.44-143.44 mg GAE/g extract, respectively. The highest ABTS and Fe (II) antioxidant activities were detected in the leaf part with 53.13-78.85% and 11.19-15.07%, respectively, while the inhibitory effect on DPPH of most Aranda hybrids was the highest in the root part (67.37-80.90%), which 1.13-2.78 folds higher than the f loral parts. Compared among the four Aranda hybrids, the A. Bangkhuntian Gold had the highest leaf total phenolic content (291.67 mg GAE/g extract) and inhibitory activities on ABTS and DPPH in the root part, about 80.90-82.23%. At six months of dried sample storage at room temperature or in a refrigerator, the total phenolic contents, ABTS, DPPH and Fe (II) activities in all organs of most Aranda hybrids could maintain similar levels in both storage temperatures. In contrast, the total flavonoid contents of leaves and roots were more sensitive to room temperature since the level was markedly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dendrobiums are most popular high value cut flowers which require special attention during cultivation. In Assam, Dendrobium orchids are normally grown under iron frame shade net houses which are quite vulnerable to cold injury during extreme winter period and heavy rain during monsoon period. Further, the existing structures are very costly which is not affordable by small and marginal farmers of Assam. Keeping in view the current study was aimed to evaluate a suitable low cost protected structure for commercial cultivation of Dendrobium cv. Sonia under Assam condition. Methods: An experiment was conducted in the Horticulture Experimental Farm, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, during 2018-2019 which was laid out in factorial completely randomized design with 10 treatment combinations replicated five times. The first factors comprised 5 numbers of low cost protected structures viz., G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5. The second factors comprised T1-1 tier and T2-2 tiers. Result: The results revealed that among the protected structures, healthy growth and better quality flowers were obtained under G1 (Bamboo frame structure covered with fixed 200 micron UV film with top ventilated and 50% agro shade net as ceiling) protected structure followed by G4. Between the tiers, T2 was found to be superior in respect of the growth characters as well as most of the flower characters. So, this treatment combination is merits consideration for commercial growers of Assam to bring about timely and quality flower production of Dendrobium cv. Sonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterosis has long been harnessed in crop production, and while crop fertility lays the groundwork for leveraging heterosis, there remains a dearth of comprehensive data regarding genic male sterility in mungbean. Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek), being a self‐pollinating crop, exhibits significant hybrid vigour in F1 hybrid seed yield, suggesting the potential for developing hybrid varieties to propel mungbean yield beyond existing plateaus. A new male sterile mutant was induced, isolated, stabilized and evaluated, via gamma irradiation at a rate of 600 Gy, identified in the M3 generation of the GM 4 accession. A uniform male sterile line was crossbred with the wild‐type parental plant to explore the inheritance pattern of male sterility. Pollen sterility was validated through the acetocarmine test, while stigma viability was ascertained using the hydrogen peroxide. While all F1 plants displayed fertile flowers, the F2 generation showed a clear 3:1 segregation ratio for fertile to male sterile plants, indicating the control of male sterility by a single recessive gene, mms. Also, a novel existence of a truncated stigma nestled within the anther column inhibits the effective reception of pollen during anthesis, offering potential in reducing emasculation time by a slight cut on the flower bud and enhancing cross pollination during hybrid seed production. The isolation of these two mutants is poised to significantly advance the global mungbean hybrid breeding programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vase life directly affects the ornamental value of cut flowers, and extending vase life has been a research focus in the floriculture industry. The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of Nano-Se provide a new direction to extend the life of cut-flower vase life. In order to explore the postharvest quality of Nano-Se on cut-flower roses, this study treated cut-flower roses with different concentrations of Nano-Se (200, 400, and 600 mM) using a commercially available preservative solution as a base solution. The results showed that appropriate concentrations of Nano-Se significantly increased the vase life of cut-flower roses and helped to maintain high petal moisture content. Nano-Se at concentrations of 200, 400, and 600 mM extended the vase life of cut roses by 4.3, 5.7, and 3.7 d, respectively. As the vase period extended, the Nano-Se treatment group effectively delayed the decline in antioxidant enzyme activities such as peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT), maintained the soluble sugar (SS) and soluble protein (SP) contents in the cut roses, and inhibited the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), reducing their accumulation. A correlation analysis of the physiological indexes of cut roses showed that vase life was positively correlated with POD and CAT activities, SS and SP contents, and total phenolic acid content and negatively correlated with MDA and H2O2 contents. This study provides a solid theoretical basis for the diversification of preservatives and the development of new preservatives for fresh-cut roses, which is expected to provide significant economic benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Allium wallichii is famous for its reddish-purple flowers, which can be utilized as cut flowers and garden landscaping. Flower color is mainly determined by flavonoids, betalains, carotenoids, as well as other pigments. However, there is no research on the color formation mechanism in A. wallichii, which restricts its genetic improvement and development of superior varieties. The flower of A. wallichii was collected for full-length transcriptome sequencing and metabolome analysis using PacBio SMART and UPLC-MS, respectively. A total of 45 anthocyanins were detected in its flower, and 75,778 transcripts of 107,208 non-redundant transcripts were annotated. Then, two AwDFRs were cloned and characterized using bioinformatics tools. Enzyme activity assays revealed that both AwDFR1 and AwDFR2 possessed DFR activity in vitro that only accepted DHQ and DHM as substrates, except for DHK. Finally, physiological results showed that AwDFR1 and AwDFR2 could restore the lacking phenotypes of Arabidopsis tt3 mutant and increase the content of anthoycanin in tobacco petals. The anthocyanins and transcriptome in A. wallichii were firstly reported, and AwDFR1 and AwDFR2 are key enzymes participating in the biosynthesis of anthocyanins. This research provides important guidance for future key gene mining, color improvement, and horticultural breeding in A. wallichii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential of petal colorimetric data to classify vase life stages in cut lisianthus flowers (Eustoma grandiflorum). We analyzed the changes in the petal color space over time, focusing on the b* value as an indicator of senescence due to increasing yellowing caused by copigmentation. A comparative analysis was conducted between two cultivation methods: soil (S) and hydroponic (H) cultivation. The objective was to evaluate the performance of machine learning models trained to classify vase life stages based on petal color data. Automated machine learning models exhibited better performance in H-cultivated cut flowers, effectively distinguishing days within the vase life stages from Days 1 to 14 for H cultivation. Cut flowers cultivated under S conditions showed less variation in the color space from Days 1 to 9, maintaining a relatively uniform color range. This made it more difficult to distinguish the vase life stages compared to H cultivation. These findings demonstrate that petal color metrics can serve as reliable indicators of cut flower senescence and potentially facilitate nondestructive methods for classifying vase life stages. This technology holds promise for wider applications in the floriculture industry, improving quality control, and extending the vase life of various cut-flower crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study applied electrospun fibers containing 8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulfonic acid (8-HQS) (100, 150, and 200 mg L−1) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) (15 and 20 mg L−1) to enhance the longevity and qualitative parameters of two cyclamen cultivars. The results indicated that the vase life of the flowers treated with 20 mg L−1 AgNO3 and 200 mg L−1 8-HQS was higher than that of the other treatments (16 days). Cyclamens treated with 8-HQS (100 mg L−1) + AgNO3 (15 mg L−1) and 8-HQS (100 mg L−1) + AgNO3 (20 mg L−1) had lower polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity than the control group. Also, it was observed that the higher phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme activity of cyclamens in the 8-HQS (150 mg L−1) + AgNO3 (15 mg L−1) treatment was longer than that of the other treatments and control groups. Treatment with 100 mg L−1 8-HQS and 20 mg L−1 AgNO3 showed higher peroxidase (POD) activity than the different treatments. This research indicated that adding AgNO3 and 8-HQS to electrospun fibers is a promising method for enhancing the longevity and maintaining the quality of these cut flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anadolu Tarım Bilimleri Dergisi is the property of Ondokuz Mayis Universitesi, Ziraat Fakultesi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cultivation of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) as a cut flower stands out in floriculture due to its aesthetic beauty and commercial value. Understanding how cut sunflower genotypes adapt to different edaphoclimatic regions and management practices is essential to optimize flower quality and productivity. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of plant density and location on the development, growth, and quality of cut sunflower in tropical and subtropical environments. Plant densities of 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 plants/m2 were evaluated in tropical climate and subtropical climate using a randomized block design in a factorial scheme. Results showed significant differences between locations for plant height, capitulum and stem diameter, final number of leaves, leaf area, leaf area index, phyllochron, and the developmental cycle. Plant density significantly influenced these variables except for plant height and developmental cycle. The interaction between location and plant density was significant only for capitulum diameter and final leaf number. The findings indicate that both planting density and location significantly influence the developmental cycle of cut sunflowers, with lower densities favoring more robust plants at harvest. A density of 30 plants/m2 is recommended for efficient space use without significantly compromising floral stem quality. All produced stems are marketable, suggesting that adjusting planting density can optimize production without compromising quality, adapting to specific regional conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of high-yield cultivation of greenhouse cut flower, high labour consuming and lacking of operational standardization stand out as significant issues. As an important agronomic technique for seedlings rooting, cuttage is a key link in the planting process and an important measure to increase agricultural income, accounting for 70% of the total labor cost. A carnation cuttage robot system was designed to integrate with the grasping-cuttage multifunction for the carnations' automatic cuttage. Taking carnation cuttings as the research object, according to the agronomic requirements under high-yield cultivation models and the materials characteristics of carnation cuttings, an auxiliary cuttage end-effector operation mode and a grasping-cuttage coordinated motion planning model are proposed. It realized high-efficient cuttage operation by the combination of cuttings gripping and auxiliary cuttage. A multi-objective identification and localization model was constructed based on the YOLOv5s deep learning network and the hand-eye coordinate system mapping relationship to meet the needs of target detection. Additionally, a kinematic model was built for the cuttage robot, and an improved MD-H (modified denavit-hartenberg) rule based inverse kinematics modeling method and time optimal trajectory planning algorithm are proposed. A multi-objective cuttage points traversal simulation method was proposed to verify that the inverse kinematics modeling method based on improved MD-H rule can effectively reduce the joint mutation rate and solution time of inverse kinematics. In the framework of Ubuntu 18.04 and ROS-melodic, Moveit-gazebo is used to carry out the joint simulation of time optimal trajectory planning, and the validity and efficiency of time optimal trajectory planning algorithm are verified. Finally, the key technologies of the cuttage robot were integrated to develop the standardized and automated cuttage workflow. We constructed a comprehensive test bench for the cuttage robot to evaluate the localization error and machine performance. The localization average error in X and Y directions during the grasping operation were 2.33 mm and 2.38 mm, the cuttage operation had an average localization error in X, Y and Z directions were 2.21 mm, 2.25 mm and 2.05 mm, respectively. On average, it took 14.787 s in total to operation per plant. The time of recognizing and grasping, cuttage were 6.803 s and 5.104 s, accounting for 46.01% and 34.52% of the total working time respectively. During the test of the performance of cuttage robot, the average qualified rate of cuttage depth and the vertical degree of cuttage were 88% and 92% respectively. The average rate of missing cuttage and root damage were 5% and 2% respectively. The cuttage robot met the basic requirements of standardized cuttage operations. Thus, the study fills gaps in the literature on mechanized cuttage of carnation in China and provides a theoretical basis for standardized seedlings cuttage. The main factors limiting the cuttage efficiency of the robot include: 1) The greater the difference in the shape of the cuttings on the conveyor belt, the longer the detection operation time will be, thus restricting the efficiency of the grasping operation; 2) In order to ensure the safety and accuracy of the robot, it needs to complete two complex actions of grasping and cuttage, so it takes more time to complete the calculation, which affects the overall efficiency of cuttage. The irregular shape of carnation cuttings, the unstable posture and the occlusion of stems and leaves are the main reasons that affected the success rate of visual detection and led to missing cuttage. Future research should be carried out on the attitude estimation algorithm for disordered cuttings to achieve the disordered grasping of multi-objective and multi-pose cuttings. The researches on other crops are needed to further improve the performance and applicability of the robot. Therefore, it can provide more comprehensive theoretical support for the high-efficient and standardized operation of cuttage robot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of pollen-free Lilium varieties can reduce the potential for allergies and increase the ornamental value as cut flowers. Moreover, lilies are not only ornamental but also edible, making them versatile in application. In this study, we developed a pollen-free Asiatic lily variety ‘Red Velvet’ with antioxidant activity. The crossbreeding was conducted in 2003 using the blackish-red ‘A3-22’ lineage and the orange and yellow bicolor ‘Cancun’. From the seeds produced, the pollen-free and color-excellent ‘A05-70’ was selected in 2005, and through growth and flowering characteristic tests, ‘Red Velvet (‘WonKyo C1-123’)’ was developed by 2015. Compared to the control ‘Brunello’, ‘Red Velvet’ exhibits superior horticultural characteristics, including taller plant height and excellent coloration in red and orange hues. Analyses of active components (total phenols and total flavonoids) and chemical antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS+ free radical scavenging) showed higher contents and antioxidant activity than the control, highlighting the potential for an expanded use of this new variety. The pollen-free ‘Red Velvet’ variety is expected to solve the problem of pollen issues and, through antioxidant activity research, expand the floriculture market and applications as a functional ingredient (Registration No. 6516). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Denphal-type Dendrobium is the famous cut and potted flower in the world, and most cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. However, it often suffers from cold in winter in subtropical regions. To verify the physiological response of Denphal-type Dendrobium under low temperature in this study, the mature and young plantlets of Dendrobium Udomsri Beauty were treated under 15, 10, and 5 °C, respectively. And then the electrical conductivity (EC), soluble protein, soluble sugar, free proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), chlorophyll content, and the rate of defoliation after regrowth were measured. The results showed that both mature plant and young seedlings of Dendrobium Udomsri Beauty, the EC, soluble protein, soluble sugar, free proline, MDA content, and defoliation rate were increased with the decrease of treatment temperature and the extension of treatment times. The content of chlorophyll decreased gradually with the decrease of treatment temperature and the extension of treatment times. The correlation analysis showed that soluble sugar, free proline, MDA, chlorophyll content, and defoliation rate were significantly correlated with the semi-lethal temperature. It is indicated that the content of free proline, MDA, chlorophyll, and defoliation rate could be used as the effective indexes for the comprehensive assessment of cold tolerance of Dendrobium Udomsri Beauty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that floriculture is very important for the world economic scenario. Nevertheless, the vase life of cut flowers is determined by a short time span. This study evaluated the spectral behavior during leaf degradation of lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum) flower stems in the postharvest, in different preservative solutions, and estimating its leaf pigments by hyperspectral data. Lisianthus floral stems were subjected to preservative solutions with different concentrations of sucrose, glucose, phytohormones and deionized water. Leaves from these stems were collected every 4 days for further hyperspectral analysis. Spectra was determined in laboratory with a sensor collecting at the range of 350-2500 nm. In order to analyze the use of the spectra to detect the performance of the preservative solutions, statistical tests were used at each wavelength. Pigment prediction was assessed by the CAR/CLF ratio (Ratio between Carotenoids and Chlorophyll) from the spectral curves, using PLSR and RRMSE. The glucose-based solutions registered positive effects on the preservation of floral stems, especially at the dose of 180 g/L. The solutions based on sucrose and phytohormones registered similarities in the spectral curves among the doses, demonstrating equality in leaf preservation. The discriminant analyses demonstrated there was statistical difference in the spectral responses in the doses for each solution used. The CAR/CLF ratio had reasonable coefficients of 0.6 and RRMSE below 6.99%. The hyperspectral analyses presented a potential for the evaluation of leaf degradation in lisianthus floral stems in different pulsing solutions used in the postharvest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) holds great significance as a cut flower, and its vase life plays a crucial role in determining its quality and market appeal. However, the extended transportation distances from the production location to consumer markets can have an unfavourable impact on the vase life and overall quality of cut flowers. The first experiment demonstrated that exposing cut carnation flowers to simulated vibrational stress (SVS) led to a decline in vase life and overall quality. Notably, the application of Nano Silver (NS; 25 and 50 μM) and melatonin (MT; 100 and 200 μM) into the holding solution proved effective in counteracting these negative effects, and extended the vase life by promoting cut flower water relations. In the second experiment, the optimal concentrations of NS and MT into the holding solution (25 and 100 μM, respectively) effectively reduced chlorophyll degradation, electrolyte leakage, and lipid peroxidation by enhancing the activity of catalase and peroxidase enzymes. As a result, it appears that the application of NS and MT in the holding solution has successfully prolonged vase life by both improving water balance and boosting antioxidant activity, while mitigating the negative effects of SVS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vase life is a decisive measure of the marketability of post-harvest physiology in cut flowers. In the process of petal senescence, the cut chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum × morifolium) 'Pingpong' group develops severe capitulum collapse which manifests as wilting and browning, leading to shorter vase life. Melatonin (MT), tea polyphenols (TPs), and chitosan (CT) are natural alternatives to chemical compounds with proven preservation effects. In this study, the possibility of mitigating capitulum collapse using the preservation solutions of these three eco-friendly ingredients was investigated on four varieties from the 'Pingpong' group, aiming to delay the senescence process. The effects on vase life of 0.02/0.04 mmol·L−1 MT, 200/400 mg·L−1 TPs, and 0.10/0.20 g·L−1 CT were, respectively, assessed with the basis of 20 g·L−1 sucrose and 250 mg·L−1 citric acid. The yellow and white varieties tend to have a longer vase life compared with the green and pink varieties. Compared to the control with only base ingredients, the greatest delay in capitulum collapse was observed with 0.04 mmol·L−1 MT in the yellow variety, maximizing the vase life to 13.4 days. MT maintained the best ornamental quality of the capitulum by decelerating fresh weight and flower diameter loss in terms of all varieties. TPs significantly increased flower diameter to improve vase life up to four more days. However, CT caused significant negative effects on vase life, with severe loss of both flower diameter and fresh weight. Therefore, the application of 0.04 mmol·L−1 MT and 200 mg·L−1 TPs was suggested to enhance the marketability of cut 'Pingpong', which highlighted the eco-friendly potential of post-harvest treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Plant Production is the property of Egyptian National Agricultural Library (ENAL) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Gray mold of roses, caused by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea, is an economically notorious disease and a well-known economic menace, leading to substantial annual losses estimated at no less than 30% of production. This disease takes a toll not only on the marketability of cut rose flowers but also on consumer and importer confidence due to the unsightly symptoms it induces. This fungus influences the rose foliage throughout cultivation, transportation, storage, and marketing. The interplay of conducive environmental conditions and genetic factors plays significant roles in developing the rose gray mold on rose flowers during the pre- and post-harvest phases. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms underlying B. cinerea-rose interactions are poorly understood, and the knowledge of how rose plants defend themselves against B. cinerea infection is not comprehensively investigated. It is worth noting that breeding for resistance to discover genetically resistant roses toward gray mold was unsuccessful despite research conducted over the past century. Consequently, synthetic fungicides remain the primary approach to controlling Botrytis blight in roses during the pre- and post-harvest stages. However, this measure has several drawbacks, including the emergence of fungicide-resistant B. cinerea and endangering human and animal health due to chemical residues in the food chain. This review aims to offer a comprehensive update on recent research findings on the biology and management of B. cinerea infection in roses and to propose novel strategies for managing gray mold disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CCHC-type zinc finger proteins (CCHC-ZFPs), ubiquitous across plant species, are integral to their growth, development, hormonal regulation, and stress adaptation. Roses (Rosa sp.), as one of the most significant and extensively cultivated ornamentals, account for more than 30% of the global cut-flower market. Despite its significance, the CCHC gene family in roses (Rosa sp.) remains unexplored. This investigation identified and categorized 41 CCHC gene members located on seven chromosomes of rose into 14 subfamilies through motif distribution and phylogenetic analyses involving ten additional plant species, including Ginkgo biloba, Ostreococcus lucimarinus, Arabidopsis thaliana, and others. This study revealed that dispersed duplication likely plays a crucial role in the diversification of the CCHC genes, with the Ka/Ks ratio suggesting a history of strong purifying selection. Promoter analysis highlighted a rich presence of cis-acting regulatory elements linked to both abiotic and biotic stress responses. Differential expression analysis under drought conditions grouped the 41 CCHC gene members into five distinct clusters, with those in group 4 exhibiting pronounced regulation in roots and leaves under severe drought. Furthermore, virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of the RcCCHC25 member from group 4 compromised drought resilience in rose foliage. This comprehensive analysis lays the groundwork for further investigations into the functional dynamics of the CCHC gene family in rose physiology and stress responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium (Cr) toxicity hampers ornamental crops' growth and post-harvest quality, especially in cut flower plants. Nano-enabled approaches have been developing with phenomenal potential towards improving floricultural crop production under heavy metal-stressed conditions. The current pot experiment aims to explore the ameliorative impact of silicon nanoparticles (Si-NPs; 10 mM) and indole butyric acid (IBA; 20 mM) against Cr stress (0.8 mM) in Freesia refracta. The results showed that Cr stress significantly reduced morphological traits, decreased roots-stems biomass, abridged chlorophyll (14.7%) and carotenoid contents (27.2%), limited gas exchange attributes (intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) 24.8%, stomatal conductance (gs) 19.3% and photosynthetic rate (A) 28.8%), condensed proline (39.2%) and total protein (40%) contents and reduced vase life (15.3%) of freesia plants by increasing oxidative stress. Contrarily, antioxidant enzyme activities, MDA and H2O2 levels, and Cr concentrations in plant parts were remarkably enhanced in Cr-stressed plants than in the control. However, foliar supplementation of Si-NPs + IBA (combined form) to Cr-stressed plants increased defense mechanism and tolerance as revealed by improved vegetative and reproductive traits, increased biomass, photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll 30.3%, carotenoid 57.2%) and gaseous exchange attributes (Ci 33.3%, gs 25.6%, A 31.1%), proline (54.5%), total protein (55.1%), and vase life (34.9%) of metal contaminated plants. Similarly, the improvement in the activities of peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase was recorded by 30.8%, 52.4%, and 60.8%, respectively, compared with Crstressed plants. Meanwhile, MDA (54.3%), H2O2 (32.7%) contents, and Cr levels in roots (43.3), in stems (44%), in leaves (52.8%), and in flowers (78.5%), were remarkably reduced due to combine application of Si-NPs + IBA as compared with Cr-stressed nontreated freesia plants. Thus, the hypothesis that the synergistic application of Si-NPs + IBA will be an effective approach in ameliorating Cr stress is authenticated from the results of this experiment. Furthermore, the study will be significant since it will demonstrate how Si-NPs and IBA can work synergistically to combat Cr toxicity, and even when added separately, they can improve growth characteristics both under stressed and unstressed conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roses are increasingly being grown in soilless systems to increase productivity and reduce the challenges associated with soil-based cultivation. This study investigates the effects of using cocopeat and volcanic tuff substrates, the particle size of tuff, and substrate depth on the growth and flower quality of roses (Rosa hybrida L. cv. top secret) grown under greenhouse conditions. The treatments were cocopeat, tuff, cocopeat–tuff mixture, and tuff of particle size of 2 to 4 mm, 0 to 4 mm, and 0 to 8 mm at depths of 20 cm and 40 cm. The results showed that cocopeat had the highest water-holding capacity and photosynthetic rate. Tuff substrates had higher chlorophyll content throughout the growing season. Although flower numbers per plant in cocopeat and tuff from 0 to 8 mm at a depth of 20 cm were statistically similar, tuff from 0 to 8 mm had longer flowering stems and larger post-harvest flower diameters than cocopeat. An increase in the tuff depth from 20 to 40 cm decreased the flower number and main stem diameter. In conclusion, while cocopeat promotes rapid initial growth, volcanic tuff substrates, particularly tuff from 0 to 8 mm at a depth of 20 cm, provide long-term benefits for flower quality and plant health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical bulb flower, lily is widely cultivated worldwide because of its high ornamental, medicinal and edible value. Although breeding efforts evolved over the last 10000 years, there are still many problems in the face of increasing consumer demand. The approach of biotechnological methods would help to solve this problem and incorporate traits impossible by conventional breeding. Target traits are dormancy, development, color, floral fragrance and resistances against various biotic and abiotic stresses, so as to improve the quality of bulbs and cut flowers in planting, cultivation, postharvest, plant protection and marketing. Genetic transformation technology is an important method for varietal improvement and has become the foundation and core of plant functional genomics research, greatly assisting various plant improvement programs. However, achieving stable and efficient genetic transformation of lily has been difficult worldwide. Many gene function verification studies depend on the use of model plants, which greatly limits the pace of directed breeding and germplasm improvement in lily. Although significant progress has been made in the development and optimization of genetic transformation systems, shortcomings remain. Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation has been widely used in lily. However, severe genotypic dependence is the main bottleneck limiting the genetic transformation of lily. This review will summarizes the research progress in the genetic transformation of lily over the past 30 years to generate the material including a section how genome engineering using stable genetic transformation system, and give an overview about recent and future applications of lily transformation. The information provided in this paper includes ideas for optimizing and improving the efficiency of existing genetic transformation methods and for innovation, provides technical support for mining and identifying regulatory genes for key traits, and lays a foundation for genetic improvement and innovative germplasm development in lily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinnia elegans L. is a cut flower, to improve the growth parameters of this flower salicylic acid (SA) and calcium chloride (CaCl2) can act as growth stimulants. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of pre-harvest SA and CaCl2 treatments in extending the vase life, quality and quantity of cut Zinnia flowers. Therefore, completely randomized design was made with SA at the rate of 0.5 mg/L, 1 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L and CaCl2 at the rate of 0.5 mg/L, 1 mg/L and 1.5 mg/L with 3 replicates in each treatment. Changes in growth morphology (such as shoot length, root length, dry weigh of root and plant, fresh weight of root and plant, total number of flowers and total number of flower cluster per plant), Physiology (chlorophyll content, PPO activity and protein) and phosphorous and potassium concentration were checked. The research study led to following conclusions that the foliar application of calcium chloride @ 1.5 mg/L + salicylic acid @ 0.5 mg/L resulted in highest growth parameters of Zinnia. The quality parameters like chlorophyll, total protein, phosphorous and catalase content also showed maximum value during the course of the study. It can be concluded in nutshell that calcium chloride in combination with salicylic acid results in better growth and quality of zinnia under the agro-climatic conditions of Lahore. These results suggest that SA and CaCl2 could be used as potential growth promoters to improve quantity and quality of Zinnia elegans L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Domestic export cut lily flowers are expensive in Japan when they are in bud state that has not yet bloomed and when no leaf yellowing has occurred. Predicting the blooming day of domestic cut lily flowers is essential to increase their commodity value. Thermal imaging, spectroscopic technologies, and hyperspectral cameras have recently been used for quality prediction. This study uses a hyperspectral camera, reflectance of wavelength, and a support vector machine (SVM) to evaluate the predictability of blooming days of cut lily flowers. While examining spectra at wavelengths of 750–900 nm associated with pollination, the resultant reflectance was over 75% during six to four days before blooming and 30% on a blooming day, indicating a decline in their reflectance toward blooming. Furthermore, SVM classification models based on kernel function revealed that the quadratic SVM had the highest accuracy at 84.4%, while the coarse Gaussian SVM had the lowest accuracy at 34.4%. The most crucial wavelength for the quadratic SVM was 842.3 nm, which was associated with water. The quadratic SVM's accuracy, verified using the area under the curve (ACU), was above 0.8, showing suitability for spectral classification based on blooming day prediction. Thus, this study shows that hyperspectral imaging can classify spectra based on the blooming day, indicating its potential to predict the blooming day, vase life, and quality of cut lily flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The production of conventional ornamental plants is pesticide-intensive. We investigated whether pesticide active ingredients (AIs) are still present in ornamentals at the time of purchase and assessed their potential ecotoxicity to non-target organisms. We purchased 1000 pot plants and 237 cut flowers of different species from garden centers in Austria and Germany between 2011 and 2021 and analyzed them for up to 646 AIs. Ecotoxicological risks of AIs were assessed by calculating toxic loads for honeybees (Apis mellifera), earthworms (Eisenia fetida), birds (Passer domesticus), and mammals (Rattus norvegicus) based on the LD50 values of the detected AIs. Human health risks of AIs were assessed on the basis of the hazard statements of the Globally Harmonized System. Over the years, a total of 202 AIs were detected in pot plants and 128 AIs in cut flowers. Pesticide residues were found in 94% of pot plants and 97% of cut flowers, with cut flowers containing about twice as many AIs (11.0 ± 6.2 AIs) as pot plants (5.8 ± 4.0 AIs). Fungicides and insecticides were found most frequently. The ecotoxicity assessment showed that 47% of the AIs in pot plants and 63% of the AIs in cut flowers were moderately toxic to the considered non-target organisms. AIs found were mainly toxic to honeybees; their toxicity to earthworms, birds, and mammals was about 105 times lower. Remarkably, 39% of the plants labeled as "bee-friendly" contained AIs that were toxic to bees. More than 40% of pot plants and 72% of cut flowers contained AIs classified as harmful to human health. These results suggest that ornamental plants are vectors for potential pesticide exposure of consumers and non-target organisms in home gardens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cut flowers deteriorate rapidly after harvest, lasting mere days. To extend their vase life, various postharvest techniques are employed. Due to limited knowledge about the postharvest physiology of Alstroemeria cut flowers and the specific role of secondary compounds and antioxidant systems in their protection, this study investigated the optimal dosage of sodium nitroprusside (SNP) as a nitric oxide (NO) donor to enhance quality and antioxidant defenses. Preharvest foliar application of SNP at 0, 50, 100, and 200 µM followed by short-term pulsing treatments upon harvest at the same concentrations were applied in a factorial design. Results revealed that a preharvest 100 µM SNP treatment combined with a 50 µM postharvest pulse significantly increased the total amount of phenols (over 20%), antioxidant capacity (more than doubled), and the activity of two antioxidant enzymes (ascorbate peroxidase by over 35% and guaiacol peroxidase by about 20%). Notably, this combination also diminished ion leakage (by about 20%), ultimately extending the vase life by more than 40% compared to untreated plants. Therefore, SNP application at these specific dosages proves effective in bolstering Alstroemeria cut flower quality and vase life through enhanced total phenols and a strengthened antioxidant system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the burgeoning year-round demand, greenhouse growers across the United States are increasingly becoming interested in producing specialty cut flowers for local and regional markets. However, outdoor or high tunnel production is not possible year-round in northern latitudes because of low temperatures and radiation intensities experienced during the winter and early spring. Additionally, natural short days in these seasons can limit which photoperiodic crops can be grown. Thus, our objectives were to quantify the influence of the photoperiod and daily light integral (DLI) on greenhouse-grown dianthus 'Amazon Neon Cherry' and 'Amazon Rose Magic' (Dianthus barbatus interspecific) cut flowers during the young plant and finishing stages. Seeds of both cultivars were sown under 9-, 10-, 11-, 12-, 13-, 15-, or 16-hour photoperiods and a DLI of either ≈5 or 10 mol.m-2.d-1. After 4 weeks, seedlings from several young-plant photoperiods were distributed across 11-, 12-, 13-, 14-, 15-, or 16-hour photoperiods or a 4-hour night interruption (NI) under a DLI of either ≈5 (low) or 14 (moderate) mol.m-2.d-1 for finishing. The young plant photoperiod generally had a statistical, but not commercial, influence on development and finished cut flower quality, whereas a 16-h finishing photoperiod marginally hastened development compared with an 11-hour finishing photoperiod. Additionally, stems were 11 to 13 cm longer when finished under the 16-hour photoperiod compared with those finished under the 11-hour photoperiod. Day length minimally influenced the time to flower and harvest, indicating a day-neutral flowering response. However, plants finished under a moderate DLI reached visible flower bud and were harvestable 9 to 10 days earlier than those finished under a low DLI. Additionally, ≈99% of cut flowers finished under a moderate DLI were harvestable, whereas only up to 32% and 57% of dianthus 'Amazon Rose Magic' and 'Amazon Neon Cherry', respectively, finished under a low DLI were harvestable. Although finished stem lengths were comparable between DLI treatments, cut flower stems were up to 29.6% thicker under a moderate DLI. These findings indicate that high-quality greenhouse-grown dianthus 'Amazon Neon Cherry' and 'Amazon Rose Magic' cut flowers can be produced when grown under any photoperiod between 9 and 16 hours for 4 weeks (during the young plant stage) and finished under any photoperiod between 11 and 16 hours or a 4-hour NI during finishing. If longer stems are desired, then plants can be finished under a 16-hour photoperiod. Young plants should be grown under a moderate DLI $10 mol.m-2.d-1 to promote biomass accumulation and reduce the young plant crop time. Additionally, plants should be finished under a moderate DLI $14 mol.m-2.d-1 to reduce crop time and increase stem thickness and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a quantitative risk assessment for the EU of Phlyctinus callosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a polyphagous pest occurring in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The current risk assessment focused on potential pathways for entry, the climatic conditions allowing establishment, the expected spread capacity and the impact considering a time horizon of 10 years (2023–2032). The Panel identified the import of apples, cut flowers and table grapes as the most relevant entry pathways. Over the next 10 years, an annual median estimate of approximately 49.5 (90% certainty range, CR, ranging from 4.0 to 881.2) potential P. callosus founder populations are expected. When the probability of establishment is considered and climatic indicators are used to define the areas in the EU where establishment is possible, the model estimated a median of 1 founder population every 1.3 years (90% CR: 1 every 30.8 years to 23.3 per year) in the scenario where the areas are defined by the union of all the climatic indicators and 1 founder population every 11.9 years (90% CR: 1 every 256.6 years to 2.5 per year) in the scenario where establishment is possible only in the areas defined by the climatic indicator of minimum soil temperature. The estimated number of founder populations per year is mostly driven by the probability of establishment in the rural areas, infestation rate in table grapes and the probability of transfer to a suitable host in the rural area. The risk of entry for cut flowers and apples is substantially lower than the risk from the table grapes. If such founder populations were to establish, P. callosus is estimated to spread by natural dispersal and common agricultural practices at a rate of 15.5 m/year (90% CR 5.1–46.8 m/year) after a lag phase of 4.0 years (90% CR 1.3–8.7 years). The impact, expressed as percentage loss of the production directly attributable to P. callosus in the areas where establishment is possible and assuming farmers do not apply specific control measures was estimated at 0.5% (90% CR 0.01%–2.8%) for cut flowers/foliage, 5.2% (90% CR 2.2%–11.7%) for apples and 2% (90% CR 1.3%–5.2%) for table grapes. Options for risk reduction are discussed, but their effectiveness is not quantified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physiological changes in cut flowers after harvest accelerates their senescence process and greatly affects the quality of cut flowers. Thus the preservation technology is a key factor in limiting the development of the cut-flower industry. The objective of the present study was to explore a new method of preserving cut roses to reduce post-harvest storage and transportation losses. Cut roses were packaged in polyethylene (PE) bags of 40 × 110 cm, with 0, 2, 6, 20, and 30 microperforations of 600 μm at 4°C. The adjustment of the number of microperforations allowed the control of gas concentrations inside the packaging, and those with 20 microperforations permitted the best quality characteristics at 4°C. The findings revealed variations in the gas environment within modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with different numbers of micropores, which exerted diverse effects on the preservation of cut rose flowers. The MAP with 20 micropores demonstrated the most effective preservation outcome. It not only effectively maintains the antioxidant capacity, the vitality of POD, SOD, and anti-superoxide anion in cut roses but also inhibits the accumulation of H2O2 content. Additionally, it effectively maintained the storage quality by inhibiting the respiration rate, ethylene production rate, and decay rate in cut roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low levels of natural light within the late fall and winter periods are main restricting factors for greenhouse-cut rose flower production in northern countries. Here, the effects of supplemental lighting on photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic pigments and the morphological response of cut rose flower cv. 'Dolce Vita' were investigated. Four different supplemental lighting regimes, including 85, 170, 255, and 340 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD using a high-pressure sodium lamp for a six-hour day extension started at sunset were applied to rose plants during late fall and winter. With increasing light intensity to 255 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD, the content of chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll, carotenoid content, and the ratio of chlorophylls a/b as well as amount of anthocyanins greatly improved. The highest phenol content and total antioxidant capacity was observed in 170 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD. Moreover, extending of daylength by light intensity of 255 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD had a significant affirmative effect on traits of growth, including flower stem length (P < 0.01), leaf number (P < 0.05), renewal bud formation (P < 0.05), time of harvesting (P < 0.05), and vase life of cut flowers (P < 0.01). Considering physiological and morphological improvement, extending of daylength from 10-h to 16-h by supplemental light of 255 μmol·m−2·s−1 PPFD would be the best choice to cultivate cut rose flower cv. 'Dolce Vita'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid wilting after harvest greatly decreases the ornamental and economic value of fresh-cut flowers. To determine how chlorine dioxide (ClO2) affects postharvest flower quality, Paeonia lactiflora 'Hushui Dangxia' cut flowers in bottles were treated with different concentrations of ClO2 (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg L−1). Among the treatments, ClO2 75 (i.e., 75 mg L−1) decreased the bacterial growth and lignin content at the P. lactiflora flower stem base, while also decreasing the degree of flower stem vessel blockage. Additionally, the ClO2 75 treatment increased the relative fresh weight, water balance, soluble sugar content, soluble protein content, and antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase), but decreased the malondialdehyde content and ethylene release rate of P. lactiflora cut flowers. Thus, the aging of P. lactiflora flowers was delayed, thereby maintaining the cut flower quality. Furthermore, the vase life (i.e., ornamental period) increased by three days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysanthemums are among the world's most popular cut flowers, with their color being a key ornamental feature. The formation of these colors can be influenced by high temperatures. However, the regulatory mechanisms that control the fading of chrysanthemum flower color under high-temperature stress remain unclear. This study investigates the impact of high temperatures on the color and biochemical responses of purple chrysanthemums. Four purple chrysanthemum varieties were exposed to both normal and elevated temperature conditions. High-temperature stress elicited distinct responses among the purple chrysanthemum varieties. 'Zi Feng Che' and 'Chrystal Regal' maintained color stability, whereas 'Zi Hong Tuo Gui' and 'Zi lian' exhibited significant color fading, particularly during early bloom stages. This fading was associated with decreased enzymatic activities, specifically of chalcone isomerase (CHI), dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR), and anthocyanidin synthase (ANS), indicating a critical period of color development under heat stress. Additionally, the color fading of 'Zi Lian' was closely related to the increased activity of the peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Conversely, a reduction in β-glucosidase (βG) activity may contribute significantly to the color steadfastness of 'Zi Feng Che'. The genes Cse_sc027584.1_g010.1 (PPO) and Cse_sc031727.1_g010.1 (POD) might contribute to the degradation of anthocyanins in the petals of 'Zi Hong Tuo Gui' and 'Zi Lian' under high-temperature conditions, while simultaneously maintaining the stability of anthocyanins in 'Zi Feng Che' and 'Chrystal Regal' at the early bloom floral stage. The findings of this research provide new insights into the physiological and biochemical mechanisms by which chrysanthemum flower color responds to high-temperature stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study has been aimed to synthesise the self-assembled, flower-shaped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NFs) by using a green synthesis method using the aqueous extract from the peels of Citrus reticulata. Both HR-TEM and Fe-SEM analyses have confirmed the flower-like morphology for the synthesised nanoparticles. The observed zeta potential value of −48.0 mV further indicated its highly stable structure. The X-ray diffractogram of the ZnO NFs showed the characteristic diffraction peaks for the crystalline ZnO without any impurity peak, indicating the complete reduction into nanoparticles and thereby, the formation of pure crystalline ZnO NFs. The antibacterial activity of ZnO NFs was then studied using the standard well diffusion method and demonstrated significant bactericidal effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.048 mg mL−1. Additionally, the ZnO NFs were evaluated for their potential to enhance the shelf life of Gerbera jamesonii flowers when treated with different concentrations in a chitosan-based solution. The ZnO NFs supplemented solution here was found to preserve the freshness of the cut flowers for up to 9.3 ± 0.3 days compared to the 3-day shelf life of the control group. These findings suggest ZnO NFs to have significant antibacterial properties and can effectively extend the shelf life of cut flowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendranthema grandiflora is an important cut flower with high economic importance in the floriculture industry. Identification of stable and high yielding genotypes of Dendranthema grandiflora, hence becomes paramount for ensuring its year-round production. In this context, the genotype by environment interaction effects on 22 chrysanthemum hybrids across six test environments were investigated. The experiment was conducted using Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications for 6 years and data on various agro-morphological and yield-contributing traits were evaluated. Our analysis revealed significant mean sum of squares due to environmental, genotypic and genotype by environment interaction variations for all examined traits. A 2D GGE biplot constructed using first two principal components computed as 59.2% and 23.3% of the differences in genotype by environment interaction for flower yield per plant. The GGE biplot identified two top-performing genotypes, G2 and G5, while the AMMI model highlighted genotypes G17, G15, G6, G5, and G2 as the best performers. Genotype G17 ranked highest for multiple traits, while G2 displayed high mean flower yield as well as stability across all environments. According to AEC line, genotypes G2 and G5 exhibited exceptional stability, whereas genotypes G4, G18 and G19 demonstrated lower stability but maintained high average flower yields. Hence, our findings provide valuable insights into chrysanthemum hybrids that were not only best performing but also hold promise to meet the growers demand of the cut flower industry and can be recommended for large scale commercial cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]