MICROBIAL ETHYLENE CONSUMPTION IN PEAT-SOIL DURING ETHYLENE EXPOSURE OF BEGONIA ELATIOR

Microbial ethylene (C2H4) consumption was studied as a method of reduc ing the ethylene concentration during ethylene exposure of Begonia ela tior in transport simulation boxes. Potted plants were exposed to an a ir flow (ca. 164 L h(-1)) with 0-1.03 ppm ethylene for 4 days in the p resence of horticultural peat-soil that was induced to microbial ethyl ene consumption or in the presence of ethylene-oxidizing bacteria adde d to the peat-soil in the Begonia pots (referred to as plant soil). Et hylene consumption during transport simulation was enhanced by both pr ocedures. However, the maximal extent of the reduction in ethylene con centrations (11-50%) was too low to significantly improve the keeping quality of the Begonia, which are known to be sensitive to ethylene ex posure. A distinct ethylene consumption was due to the presence of pot ted Begonia in the transport simulation boxes. Batch experiments with plant soil verified such a capacity of microbial ethylene consumption. In addition, plant soil with added ethylene-oxidizing bacteria proved to be highly efficient for ethylene removal even to levels below our 0.002 ppm detection limit. With an optimized scrubber system such ethy lene removal could be of further interest as a novel method of ethylen e removal during transport and storage of horticultural produce.