Received: 11 March, 2008. Accepted: 31 May, 2008. Invited Review Fresh Produce ©2008 Global Science Books Practical and Genetic Solutions for Quality Sandersonia aurantiaca Flowers Jocelyn R. Eason * • Ed R. Morgan • Garry K. Burge New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food Research Limited, Food Industry Science Centre, Private Bag 11 600, Palmerston North, New Zealand Corresponding author: * easonj@crop.cri.nz ABSTRACT This review introduces the reader to a cut flower that has been developed from a wild-grown South African native plant. New Zealand’s growers, breeders, production and postharvest researchers have optimised cultivation, harvest and postharvest care of Sandersonia aurantiaca so that cut flowers can be exported to northern hemisphere destinations for maximum returns (in their out-of-season production window). Sandersonia is a lileaceous cut flower comprising bright orange lantern-like flowers on wiry stems that also hold bright green lancolate leaves. There is only one species in the Sandersonia genus, and breeding initiatives have been undertaken to increase the genetic diversity of the crop in order to expand flower colour and form. This review will show that plant production, postharvest management and an ongoing breeding programme are all essential for success of sandersonia in the future market place. It will also review recent molecular research, showing how our understanding of the metabolic processes that influence the rate of flower senescence has advanced. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Keywords: breeding, flower senescence, postharvest, production Abbreviations: 1-MCP, 1-methylcyclopropene; AOA, amino-oxyacetic acid; AVG, aminoethoxyvinylglycine; BA, benzyladenine; BAP, 6-benzylaminopurine; CA, controlled atmosphere; DETA/NO, diethylenetriamine/nitric oxide; EAW, electrolysed anode water; GA, gibberellic acid; MAP, modified atmosphere packaging; NBD, 2, 5-norbornadiene; NO, nitric oxide; PRECIS, Pretoria National Herba- rium Computerised Information System; STS, silver thiosulphate; TDZ, thidiazuron CONTENTS INTRODUCTION: SANDERSONIA AURANTIACA: THE PLANT............................................................................................................ 47 PRODUCTION AND CUT FLOWER QUALITY ...................................................................................................................................... 48 HARVEST MATURITY .............................................................................................................................................................................. 49 STORAGE TEMPERATURE ...................................................................................................................................................................... 50 PULSING SOLUTION COMPONENTS .................................................................................................................................................... 50 Carbohydrates .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Plant growth regulators............................................................................................................................................................................ 50 Ethylene .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 50 Gibberellin .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 Cytokinin ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 51 Water quality ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 51 PACKAGING .............................................................................................................................................................................................. 52 GENE PRODUCTS THAT REGULATE FLOWER SENESCENCE.......................................................................................................... 52 BREEDING AND GENETIC MODIFICATION FOR EXPANDING SANDERSONIA MARKET SHARE ............................................ 53 CONCLUSIONS .......................................................................................................................................................................................... 53 REFERENCES............................................................................................................................................................................................. 53 _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION: SANDERSONIA AURANTIACA: THE PLANT Sandersonia aurantiaca (Hook.) is a deciduous monocoty- ledonous perennial herb (order Liliales, family Colchica- ceae), which grows from a tuber to produce supple, striate, simple stems (0.3–2.74 m in height, PRECIS). Bright orange-coloured flowers occur in leafy racemes on the up- per part of the stem, and are placed beside a leaf on a long arcuate pedicel (Vinnersten and Manning 2007). The older flowers occur at the base of the inflorescence. Commonly known as ‘Christmas Bells’ or ‘Chinese Lantern Lily’, san- dersonia is native to South Africa where it grows in grass- land areas of high summer and low winter rainfall at alti- tudes ranging from 45-1950 m (PRECIS, Brundell and Reyngoud 1985). The unique bright orange flowers (fused tepals) with their distinct shape and good vase life have made sandersonia a sought-after cut flower on the interna- tional market, particularly in Japan. In cultivation, the slen- der flowering stems may grow up to 100 cm in length. The orange lantern-shaped flowers hang from pedicels attached at the axil of lanceolate leaves that are attached alternately on wiry stems (Fig. 1). Attributes that determine the quality of this cut flower crop include: stem length, stem strength, number of flowers per stem, flower shape, pedicel length, flower colour, balance of stem internode length, lateral bran- ching, leaf colour, and vase life (Catley et al. 2002a, 2002b). Cut flower breeders appeal to the consumers of their product by supplying a continuous stream of novel products (colour, form, fragrance), but they must also satisfy the ®