Re-evaluation of the factors involved in petal blackening of cut sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) flowers, and introducing the beneficial effects of active modified atmosphere packaging

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Publication Details

Author list: Meir S.; Philosoph-Hadas S.; Wongs-Aree C.; Penchaiya P.; Khunmuang S.; Buanong M.

Publisher: Springer

Publication year: 2025

Journal: Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology (2211-3452)

Volume number: 66

Start page: 1703

End page: 1718

Number of pages: 16

ISSN: 2211-3452

eISSN: 2211-3460

URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-105013767329&doi=10.1007%2Fs13580-025-00747-2&partnerID=40&md5=81f6b8de644a03674778fbe5586cedb1

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

The limited cut flower marketability of sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) is mainly due to the rapid postharvest blackening of the outer petals, resulting in short vase life. The present study has defined three objectives for improving the appearance of cut lotus ‘Saddhabutra’ flowers. (1) To re-evaluate the roles of ethylene and water stress in the process of outer petal blackening. (2) To improve the Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) method developed previously for these flowers. (3) To examine other possible factors (auxin and ethylene inhibitors) to improve MAP. Our results showed that ethephon has phytotoxic effects in lotus, derived from anatomical damage. The low O2 and high CO2, accumulated inside the inner space of the closed flower buds, inhibited the blackening of the inner petals and of organ blackening after exposure to ambient atmosphere. We examined the effects of MAP storage and of Active MAP (AMAP), applied by flushing the bags with 5% CO2 and 10% O2 before sealing, in combination with auxin and ethylene inhibitors treatments. We found that using AMAP further extended the storage life of the flowers compared to MAP, but auxin had no effect on petal blackening. Our results suggest that ethylene accumulated in the packaging has no negative effect on the MAP and AMAP beneficial effects regarding petal blackening. Therefore, neither water stress nor ethylene are the inducing factors of petal blackening in cut lotus flowers. MAP and especially AMAP can be used as practical treatments for improving their storage life. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Keywords

CO2, Ethylene, modified atmosphere packaging, Petal blackening, Sacred lotus flowers, Water loss