Efficacy of inhibitors of ethylene binding in improvement of the postharvest characteristics of potted flowering plants

Pre-treatment of potted plants of Campanula carpatica cultivars Dark Blue a nd Blue Clips and Schlumbergera truncata cultivar Dark Marie with the volat ile ethylene binding inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) inhibited the e ffects of exogenous ethylene (bud abscission and wilting of flowers). In an ethylene-free simulated interior environment, display life of the 1-MCP tr eated plants was unaffected (Campanula) or slightly greater (Schlumbergera) than that of the controls, although not as good as that of plants pre-trea ted with the anionic silver thiosulfate complex (STS). Differences in effec ts of both blockers of ethylene binding sites are discussed. (C) 2001 Elsev ier Science B.V. All rights reserved.