Using Ethylene to Help ?Increase? Cut Flower Longevity and Sales (Also Applicable for Potted and Bedding Plants)

PRO Institutes are intensive 2.5-day workshops that address various floral postharvest care, handling, and marketing topics. Thirty-eight individuals representing 24 companies and 2 universities recently attended the 15th PRO Institute held on the University of California, Davis campus. The information presented below is a direct result of this workshop. Fact one: Numerous past and present consumer studies have shown that inadequate cut flower longevity is a key factor negatively affecting consumer flower purchases in the US and Canada. Fact two: Ethylene is a gas that can promote premature flower death, petal fall, leaf fall, and/or abnormal flower opening among other negative traits. An estimated 41% of cut flowers grown for US and Canadian markets can be damaged by ethylene. Fact three: As bad as ethylene-induced damages are, they are nearly 100% preventable either by growing flowers that are insensitive to ethylene or by properly treating ethylene sensitive flowers with anti-ethylene products containing 1-methylcyclopropene (MCP) or silver thiosulfate (STS). MCP is sold as EthylBloc and Ethylene Buster whereas STS is sold as AVB, EthylGuard, and Florissima 125. Fact four: There is no comprehensive list of cut flower species and cultivars based on ethylene sensitivity. Fact five: A simple and inexpensive test can be used to determine if flowers are ethylene sensitive and/or if they have been properly treated with STS or MCP. This test uses a product called Florel, which is a liquid that releases ethylene gas when applied to flowers and leaves. Named the “Florel Test”, it is now described. The complete article, available below as pdf, considers the following aspects: Florel Test Directions Possible Test Results Additional Comments Who should routinely use the Florel Test The challenge and opportunity Questions, Comments and/or additional information? The picture is one of the examples shown in the article. The ‘Osiana’ roses on the right show ethylene-induced damage (petal fall) after being ethylene treated while the ones on the left were not ethylene treated. Thus, the rose cultivar ‘Osiana’ is ethylene sensitive. Photo courtesy of Dr. Andrew Macnish.