Physiological and biochemical aspects of carnation senescence have previously been described ( Sugawara et al., 2002 Shibuya and Ichimura, 2010 Satoh, 2011), and conditions during growth of mother plants, storage and handling, environment, and phyto-hormones all play roles in senescence regulation ( Karimi et al., 2012 Asil et al., 2013 Hotta et al., 2016). Post-harvest senescence of cut flowers is an active process involving physiological and biochemical changes ( Buchanan-Wollaston and Morris, 2000 Rubinstein, 2000 Battelli et al., 2011), and is regulated by a cell death program ( Arora and Singh, 2006 Van Doorn and Woltering, 2008 Wagstaff et al., 2009 Van Doorn, 2011). Normally carnations have a short vase life of around 5–10 days depending on the cultivar. Carnation ( Dianthus caryophyllus L.) is one of the most popular and important of cut flowers for the ornamental industry, also useful as an ornamental model plant, for which the genome has been sequenced ( Karami et al., 2008 Yagi et al., 2013). However, cut flowers generally have a short vase life depending on genetic and environmental factors, and this often limits development of the industry ( Kumar et al., 2014 Van Meeteren and Aliniaeifard, 2016). Ornamental plant production is an expanding industry worldwide and has great potential for continued future growth in international markets ( Jerzy et al., 2011). It is concluded that BL exposure improves the vase life of carnation cut flowers through its effect on the antioxidant defense system in petals and on photosynthetic performance in the leaves. Sucrose and glucose contents accumulated in petals during vase life sugar concentrations were higher in BL-exposed flowers than in RL- and WL-exposed flowers.
Maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and a higher percentage of open stomata were observed in leaves of BL-exposed flowers. In BL-exposed flowers, the decline in petal carotenoid contents was delayed in comparison to RL- and WL-exposed flowers. A higher activity of antioxidant enzymes was detected in petals of BL-exposed flowers, compared to their activities in RL- and WL-exposed flowers. As a consequence, BL-exposed flowers maintained a higher membrane stability index (MSI) compared to RL- and WL-exposed flowers. H 2O 2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in petals gradually increased during vase life the increase was lowest in BL-exposed flowers. Exposure to blue light (BL) considerably delayed senescence and improved vase life over that of flowers exposed to red light (RL) and white light (WL). In the current study, the effect of three LED light spectra at 150 μmol m –2 s –1 on vase life and on physiological and biochemical characteristics of carnation cut flowers was investigated. Although considerable efforts have been made over many years to improve the vase life of cut flowers through controlling the immediate environment and through post-harvest use of floral preservatives, the impact of lighting environment on vase life has been largely overlooked. Improving marketability and extension of vase life of cut flowers has practical significance for the development of the cut flower industry.
I have made a scatter plot and need to include the pearson correlation coeffient for the age and height somewhere on the graph.