MARKETS OF ORNAMENTAL PLANTS AND POSTHARVEST PHYSIOLOGY IN CUT FLOWERS

Ornamental plants such as cut flowers and potted plants are traded around the world. In Japanese cut flower markets, flowers for business purposes and traditional flower arrangement classes are decreasing, while those for gifts and household use are increasing. There has been an increasing import of flowers from Malaysia, China, Columbia and other countries. The Netherlands occupies more than half of the worldwide exports of flowers. Postharvest technology is necessary to reduce the loss and provide consumers with high-quality flowers. There are many factors involved in senescence of cut flowers, including ethylene, water relation, soluble carbohydrate level, oxidative stress and programmed cell death. Ethylene inhibitors like STS and 1-MCP can inhibit ethylene actions and prolong the vase life of ethylene-sensitive flowers. The treatment of sugar and germicide improves carbohydrate level and water relation of cut flowers, resulting in prolonging their vase life. Physiology of cut flowers has been discussed and several methods of extending the vase life were introduced.