3-AMINO-1,2,4-TRIAZOLE PROLONGS CARNATION VASE LIFE

Continuous postharvest treatment of carnation flowers (Dianthus caryop hyllus L. cv. Elliot's White) with 50 or 100 mM aminotriazole signific antly extended useful vase life relative to flowers held in distilled H2O. No morphological changes symptomatic of floral senescence appeare d in treated flowers until 12 to 15 days after harvest. The longevity of aminotriazole-treated flowers was extended to almost-equal-to 18 da ys. The respiratory rate of aminotriazole-treated carnations was suppr essed, and they exhibited no respiratory climacteric throughout the pe riod of observation. The responsiveness of aminotriazole-treated flowe rs to exogenous ethylene appeared temporally regulated. Flowers treate d with 50 mm aminotriazole for 2 days senesced in response to applicat ion of 10 mul exogenous ethylene/liter, whereas flowers treated for gr eater-than-or-equal-to 4 days exhibited no morphological response to e thylene treatment. Chemical name used: 3-1H-amino-1,2,4-triazole-1-yr( aminotriazole).