Hydrogen peroxide in the vase solution increases vase life and keeping quality of cut Oriental × Trumpet hybrid lily ‘Manissa’

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important signal molecule involved in diverse plant developmental processes. Oriental × Trumpet hybrid lily, lilium ‘Manissa’ was used to investigate the effects of H2O2 in the vase solution on the vase life and keeping quality of cut flowers. The results show that the optimum concentration (600 μM) caused an increase in vase life, from 9.8 days in control to about 12.8 days. Concentrations of 800 and 1200 μM resulted in negative effects. Concurrently, 600 μM H2O2 resulted in the maximum flower diameter and the maximum number of days for full flower opening. Moreover, the H2O2 scavenger ascorbic acid (ASA) or the H2O2 inhibitor diphenylene iodonium (DPI) reversed the positive effects of 600 μM H2O2 on vase life and flower diameter. Treatments with 600 μM H2O2 delayed leaf and petal senescence and flower opening for some days. Additionally, 600 μM H2O2 treatments significantly reduced the relative degree of decline of leaf relative water content (RWC), leaf chlorophyll, petal water-soluble carbohydrate and cut flowers fresh weight. However, petal electrolyte leakage in 600 μM H2O2 treatments showed the minimum variations. Together, these results indicated that H2O2 treatments at the proper dosage prolonged the vase life of cut lily and enhanced postharvest quality by retarding the degradation of RWC, chlorophyll, carbohydrate as well as cut flowers fresh weight and simultaneously keeping membrane integrity.

► H2O2 at the proper dosage prolonged the vase life and enhanced postharvest quality of cut lily.
► Endogenous H2O2 may play specific roles in regulating aging process in cut flowers.
► H2O2 retarded the degradation of leaf water, chlorophyll and petal carbohydrate of cut lily.
► Cut flowering stems treated with H2O2 exhibited lower electrolyte leakage and fresh weight loss.