EFFECTS OF BA PRETREATMENT ON VASE LIFE, ETHYLENE PRODUCTION, AND SOLUBLE SUGAR CONTENTS IN CUT FLORETS OF 4 MEMBERS OF THE CATTLEYA ALLIANCE

Pretreatments of BA significantly suppressed ethylene production and p rolonged the vase life of cut florets in Laeliocattleya Irene Finney ' York' and Brassolaeliocattleya Mem. Helen Brown 'Sweet Afton'. A combi nation of BA pretreatment and spray of silver thiosulfate (STS) had sy nergistic effects on the vase life of Cattleya Carl Hauserman 'z-784c' . Cut florets of Laelia (L.) purpurata produced ethylene at the highes t rate and neither BA nor STS treatments affected their ethylene produ ction and vase life. BA had little effect on the total soluble sugars (TSS) contents in the petals of all the alliances. TSS contents did no t change in turgid to slightly wilted petals. Ethylene seems to be inv olved in senescence of the cut florets but BA suppresses its productio n, thus extending vase life. Lowering of TSS could not be a direct cau se of the wilting process.