Sensitivity of Potted Foliage Plant Genotypes to Ethylene and 1-Methylcyclopropene

• Published in: HortScience Vol. 46; no. 8; pp. 1127 - 1131
• Main Authors: Macnish, Andrew J, Leonard, Ria T, Nell, Terril A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Alexandria, VA American Society for Horticultural Science 01.08.2011
• Subjects: 1-methylcyclopropene; abscission; Aglaonema; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Anthurium; Aphelandra squarrosa; Asplenium nidus; Biological and medical sciences; butterflies; Chamaedorea elegans; Chlorophytum comosum; Codiaeum variegatum; Dieffenbachia seguine; Dracaena marginata; ethylene; Euphorbia milii; Ficus benjamina; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genetic variation; genotype; Hedera helix; leaves; Polyscias fruticosa; potted foliage plants; Schefflera arboricola; Schefflera elegantissima; senescence; shipping; Spathiphyllum; Syngonium podophyllum; Senescence; Unsaturated aliphatic compound; Horticulture; Aliphatic compound; Ethylene; Cycloalkene; Genotype; Plant leaf; Metabolic inhibitor; leaf; Abscission; Ethylenic aliphatic compound; Unsaturated compound; Pot growing; Sensitivity; Alkene; Cyclic compound; Vegetative apparatus; EthylBloc™ sachets; Foliage; Plant growth substance; postproduction; Ethylenic compound; Organic compounds
• ISSN: 0018-5345; 2327-9834
• DOI: 10.21273/hortsci.46.8.1127

Exposure to 0.1, 1.0, or 10 µL·L–1 ethylene for 4 days at 21 °C reduced the display life of 17 commonly traded potted foliage plant genotypes (Aglaonema ‘Mary Ann’, Anthurium scherzerianum ‘Red Hot’ and ‘White Gemini’, Aphelandra squarrosa ‘Dania’, Chlorophytum comosum ‘Hawaiian’, Codiaeum variegatum pictum ‘Petra’, Dieffenbachia maculata ‘Carina’, Dracaena marginata ‘Bicolor’ and ‘Magenta’, Euphorbia milii ‘Gaia’, Euphorbia splendens ‘Short and Sweet’, Ficus benjamina, Polyscias fruticosa ‘Castor’, Radermachera sinica ‘China Doll’, Schefflera elegantissima ‘Gemini’, Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold Capella’, Spathiphyllum ‘Ty's Pride’). Ethylene treatment hastened leaf and bract abscission or senescence. The responsiveness of plants to ethylene varied considerably; six genotypes were sensitive to 0.1 µL·L–1 ethylene, whereas three genotypes required exposure to 10 µL·L–1 ethylene to trigger visible injury. Four genotypes (Asplenium nidus, Chamaedorea elegans ‘Neathe Bella’, Hedera helix ‘Chicago’, Syngonium podophyllum ‘White Butterfly’) included in our study were insensitive to ethylene. Treating Aglaonema ‘Mary Ann’, Polyscias fruticosa ‘Castor’, and Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold Capella’ plants with 0.9 µL·L–1 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, provided as EthylBlocTM), a gaseous ethylene-binding inhibitor, for 4 to 5 h at 21 °C reduced the deleterious effects of ethylene. The release of 1-MCP from two sachets containing EthylBlocTM into a single shipping box also protected Aphelandra squarrosa ‘Dania’, Euphorbia milii ‘Gaia’, Polyscias fruticosa ‘Elegans’, and Schefflera arboricola ‘Gold Capella’ plants from ethylene injury after simulated transport. Our data reveal the genetic variation in ethylene sensitivity among potted foliage plants and highlight genotypes that benefit from 1-MCP treatment.