Effect of S-carvone on vase life parameters of selected cut flower and foliage species

Insufficient water uptake by cut flowers and foliage species is often due to stem end occlusion and poor stem hydraulic conductance that involve bacterial growth and/or wound healing. S-carvone has putative antibacterial and anti-wound healing activity. S-carvone (0, 0.318 and 0.636 mM) was evaluated as a vase solution for Acacia holosericea (Mimosaceae), Baeckea frutescens (Myrtaceae), Chamelaucium uncinatum cv. ‘Mullering Brook’ (Myrtaceae) and Chrysanthemum sp. cv. ‘Dark Splendid Reagan’ (Asteraceae). S-carvone was also tested in vitro for activity against a vase solution bacterium. S-carvone at 0.318 and 0.636 mM showed significant (P < 0.05) positive effects on relative fresh weight, solution uptake and/or vase life for B. frutescens foliage and C. uncinatum flowering stems, but did not have positive effects for A. holosericea and Chrysanthemum sp. S-carvone did not suppress vase solution bacterial populations. Moreover, there was no in vitro activity at vase solution concentrations against the specific vase water bacterium, Bacillus cereus. For the two Myrtaceous genotypes, B. frutescens and C. uncinatum, S-carvone apparently extended vase life by inhibiting wound healing.