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Sources and levels required: While illuminating gas
is not a common ethylene source today, there are many
sources of ethylene including:
- Exhaust from internal combustion engines (i.e. cars,
trucks and non electric powered forklifts)
- Pollutants released into the atmosphere contaminated
with ethylene, including cigarette smoke
- Emissions from all common floral crops
- Emissions from fungi such as Botrytis and some bacteria
often associated with floral crops
- Production by plants and flowers that are under
physical, water, insect, disease and other types of
stresses
- Banana ripening rooms found in most food distribution
warehouses are major sources of ethylene. When the
ripening rooms are opened, high amounts of ethylene
can be released into the surrounding area, creating
problems for nearby flowers and plants.
Temperature: The higher the temperature, the
more ethylene produced by plants, and the less it takes
to induce plant disorders. Whenever possible, store and
display floral crops at the lowest possible temperature
without inducing chill or freeze disorders.
Species/cultivar: Grow and handle only
species and cultivars that are less sensitive to ethylene.
Common plant selection and breeding programs have led
to the introduction of many cultivars that are ethylene
resistant. In addition, recent advancements in genetic
engineering have provided renewed hope for the widespread
introduction of ethylene-resistant plants in the near
future. Damaged crops (mechanically- and pest-induced):
Most damaged flowers and plants-whether hurt mechanically
or by insect and disease attack-produce ethylene as
a defense. The resultant ethylene can shorten the life
of the damaged flowers and plants, but also affect other
flowers and plants in the same area, even those not
under attack. As the old saying goes, "one bad apple
spoils the barrel" - that is, one damaged apple produces
ethylene, which in turn damages or spoils otherwise
healthy apples nearby. To minimize such damages, handle
flowers and plants gently and keep them as free of insects
and disease organisms as possible. Potted plant and
cut flower sleeves can cause mechanically-induced damages,
so remove these sleeves as soon as possible after arrival.
Controlling ethylene action sites: Ethylene will not
cause problems unless it attaches to the so-called action
sites. Silver from silver thiosulfate (STS) products
can prevent or block ethylene from attaching to these
action sites, and thus prevent the negative disorders
from starting.
Information reprinted
from SAF Flower and Plant Care Manual, (Society of American
Florists: Alexandria, VA, 1994), pp. 147-150.
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