Differences in display life of miniature potted roses (Rosa hybrida L.)

Commercial miniature potted rose cultivars (Rosa hybrida L.) varied dramatically in their postharvest life. In some short-lived cultivars such as 'Bronze,' 100% of the flowers faded after 12 days. In long-lived cultivars like 'Vanilla' or 'Charming,' less than 10% loss in display quality took place after the same period. Flower senescence in some cultivars was accompanied by a clear climacteric rise in ethylene production, in others there was only moderate or very low ethylene production. Leaf, bud abscission and flower senescence were accelerated when plants were exposed to exogenous ethylene, and there were marked differences in sensitivity and response to ethylene among cultivars. Longevity in the absence of ethylene was apparently related to timing of the onset of ethylene production. One cultivar with excellent longevity in air was also almost insensitive to exogenous ethylene, and indicates the potential for a breeding approach to increasing postharvest longevity of these plants. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.