ABSTRACT
Flower longevity is one of the most important traits of cut owers. An understanding of the postharvest biology of owers is needed to efciently develop postharvest technology. Ethylene is a key factor that regulates ower senescence in many plant species. Ethylene biosynthetic and signaling pathways have been well characterized, and it is now possible to improve the vase life of some cut owers by controlling the effects of ethylene. In contrast, regulatory mechanisms of senescence in owers that show ethylene-independent senescence remain largely unknown. Petal senescence is a highly regulated developmental process and is considered to be a type of programmed cell death, which is an actively regulated process. To identify key regulators of programmed cell death during petal senescence, many studies have been conducted. In this chapter, we outline studies on the postharvest physiology and molecular biology of owers, focusing on regulatory mechanisms for petal senescence by ethylene and programmed cell death.
