Effects on vase life and chlorophyll fluorescence were evaluated for kangaroo
paw Bush Dawn flowers harvested from 3 growth environments and kept at 3
storage temperatures for 4 storage periods. Flowers were grown in a
glasshouse, shadehouse and in the open. Harvested flowers were stored at 0,
7.5 or 13°C for 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks. Minimum fluorescence values
decreased progressively from 0.103 to 0.078 as storage temperatures increased
from 0 to 13°C. Relative fluorescence ratios of stored kangaroo paw
flowers were altered significantly in response to storage temperature, storage
duration and growth environment. Relative fluorescence ratios decreased
progressively from 0.778 to 0.649 with increasing storage duration from 1 to 4
weeks. Relative fluorescence values were 0.688, 0.784 and 0.711 for 0, 7.5 and
13°C storage temperatures, respectively. Minimum fluorescence did not
differ among the growth environments, but relative fluorescence was highest
for the shadehouse (0.760) and lowest for the open (0.695). Vase life was also
influenced by storage temperature, storage duration and flower source. Main
effect vase lives of flowers were 6.6, 7.2 and 3.4 days for 0, 7.5 and
13°C storage temperatures, respectively. Shorter vase life after
storage at 0 than at 7.5°C indicates that Bush Dawn is chilling
sensitive. Post-storage longevity of flowers from the shadehouse (6.5 days)
and glasshouse (6.3 days) was greater than from the open (4.2 days). Relative
fluorescence values, which decreased in a linear manner for all storage
temperatures as storage duration increased, were significantly correlated with
the vase life.
Drought-Induced Changes in Chlorophyll Fluorescence of Young Wheat Plants
