Effect of low temperature and ethylene inhibitors on antioxidant activities and ethylene production of mini carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.)

Senescence is a factor limiting the marketing of most flowers and considerable effort has been applied using various treatments to increase longevity of flowers. Accordingly, a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with two miniature carnation cultivars (Aragon and Erueka), two temperatures (2 and 4 ° C), 13 treatments (control treatment and various concentrations of amino-oxyacetic acid, benzyladenine and 1-methylcyclopropene) to investigate the role of low temperature and ethylene inhibitor treatments on vase life, ethylene production levels and antioxidant enzyme activities were implemented. The cut flowers were pulsed with amino-oxyacetic acid, benzyladenine and 1-methylcyclopropene then storage in 2°C and 4°C temperature. After 10 days of dry storage the cut flowers were inset into distilled water. According to mean comparisons the vase life of cut spray carnation in both investigated temperatures (2°C and 4°C) was 15 and 11.50 days, respectively. Among both temperatures the highest vase life was related to 6 hours of 0.72 µl L-1 1-MCP treatment. Generally, low temperature showed the significant effects on ethylene production. As, the mean ethylene productions in studied temperatures (2°C and 4°C) were 2.35 and 4.11 nl g-1 FW h-1. The maximum antioxidant activity was observed in 4°C. A significant increase in Superoxide dismutase, Catalase and Peroxidase enzyme activities was observed in the treatment with 1-MCP.