Quality analysis of cut Vanda ‘Sansai Blue’ orchid flowers during vase life in response to exogenous ethylene, 1-MCP and sucrose

The ‘Sansai Blue’ Vanda orchid flower is very sensitive to exogenous ethylene although the flowers produce very low amounts of endogenous ethylene. We reported previously that there is a rapid ethylene-induced anthocyanin breakdown, which occurs before the senescence processes could be detected (Khunmuang et al. 2019b). In addition, there is a possibility that at the same time, ethylene may inhibit the anthocyanin biosynthesis, which also continues during vase life. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to understand how ethylene, the ethylene inhibitor, 1-MCP, and sucrose affect anthocyanin content and flower quality parameters during vase life. For this purpose, the cut inflorescences were exposed to air (control), ethylene, 1-MCP or sucrose, and the effects of these treatments was examined on four genes encoding for anthocyanin biosynthesis enzymes, and on various quality parameters in cut Vanda ‘Sansai Blue’ orchid flowers at the bloom stage during vase life.
The results revealed that exogenous