Soluble carbohydrates and variation in vase-life of cut rose cultivars ‘Delilah’ and ‘Sonia’

SummaryPost-harvest characteristics of Rosa hybrida L. cv. ‘Delilah’, a long-lived cultivar, were compared with those of cv. ‘Sonia’, a short-lived cultivar. The vase-life of ‘Delilah’ was 10.6 d whereas that of ‘Sonia’ was 5.6 d. Petals of ‘Sonia’ flowers kept in water did not reflect fully and showed blueing. However, treatment with sucrose plus 8-hydroxyquinoline sulphate (HQS) markedly promoted petal reflection and inhibited blueing. In contrast, ‘Delilah’ flowers kept in water reflected fully and did not show blueing. In both cultivars, hydraulic conductance of stem segments in the control treatment decreased rapidly after harvest. Treatment with HQS suppressed this decrease. Concentrations of glucose, fructose and sucrose in petals of ‘Delilah’ were much higher throughout the experimental period than those of ‘Sonia’. There was no difference between ‘Sonia’ and ‘Delilah’ in soluble carbohydrate concentrations in stems and leaves. Starch concentration in petals of ‘Sonia’ was higher than in ‘Delilah’...