Postharvest Biology and Technology 55 (2010) 66–69 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Postharvest Biology and Technology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/postharvbio Research note Effect of S-carvone on vase life parameters of selected cut flower and foliage species J.W. Damunupola a,∗ , T. Qian b , R. Muusers b , D.C. Joyce a , D.E. Irving c , U. Van Meeteren b a The University of Queensland, Centre for Native Floriculture, School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia b Horticultural Production Chains Group, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University, The Netherlands c NSW Department of Industry and Investment, Yanco Agricultural Institute, Yanco, NSW 2703, Australia article info Article history: Received 25 March 2009 Accepted 19 July 2009 Keywords: Antibacterial Cut flower Cut foliage S-carvone Vase life abstract Insufficient water uptake by cut flowers and foliage species is often due to stem end occlusion and poor stem hydraulic conductance that involve bacterial growth and/or wound healing. S-carvone has putative antibacterial and anti-wound healing activity. S-carvone (0, 0.318 and 0.636 mM) was evaluated as a vase solution for Acacia holosericea (Mimosaceae), Baeckea frutescens (Myrtaceae), Chamelaucium uncinatum cv. ‘Mullering Brook’ (Myrtaceae) and Chrysanthemum sp. cv. ‘Dark Splendid Reagan’ (Asteraceae). S-carvone was also tested in vitro for activity against a vase solution bacterium. S-carvone at 0.318 and 0.636mM showed significant (P < 0.05) positive effects on relative fresh weight, solution uptake and/or vase life for B. frutescens foliage and C. uncinatum flowering stems, but did not have positive effects for A. holosericea and Chrysanthemum sp. S-carvone did not suppress vase solution bacterial populations. Moreover, there was no in vitro activity at vase solution concentrations against the specific vase water bacterium, Bacillus cereus. For the two Myrtaceous genotypes, B. frutescens and C. uncinatum, S-carvone apparently extended vase life by inhibiting wound healing. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Cut flowers and foliage develop water deficit stress even when standing in water (van Doorn, 1997). Reductions in stem hydraulic conductivity (K h ) are typically caused by occlusion of cut ends and xylem conduits by microbes and their products (Loubaud and van Doorn, 2004), by physiological plugging processes (van Doorn and Cruz, 2000) and by disruption of water columns in xylem vessels from cavitation and air emboli (Nijsse et al., 2000). S-carvone is a monoterpene found in caraway (Carum carvi) and dill (Anethum graveoleus) seeds (De Carvalho et al., 2006). When applied exogenously to plant tissues, it can prevent or reduce the rate of synthesis of wound healing compounds, such as suberin, and/or can have antibacterial and antifungal activity (Oosterhaven et al., 1995a,b). Provision of S-carvone in the vase water extended the vase life of cut stems of Hakea francisiana (Pro- teaceae) (Williamson et al., 2002) and cut Grevillea ‘Crimson Yul-lo’ (Proteaceae) (He et al., 2006) inflorescences. He et al. (2006) found that S-carvone at 0.318 and 0.636mM delayed decreases in vase ∗ Corresponding author at: Plant Industries Building 8111, School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia. Tel.: +61 7 5460 1184; fax: +61 7 5460 1112. E-mail addresses: jilushi.damunupola@uqconnect.edu.au, jilushi@yahoo.com (J.W. Damunupola). solution uptake rate and relative fresh weight of cut flowering Gre- villea stems. The authors argued that S-carvone acted as an inhibitor of the wound response. This research examined S-carvone effects on several non- proteaceous cut flower and foliage species: Acacia holosericea (Vel- vet Leaf Wattle; Mimosaceae), Baeckea frutescens (Maiden’s Blush; Myrtaceae), Chamelaucium uncinatum (Geraldton waxflower; Myr- taceae) and Chrysanthemum sp. (syn. Dendranthema × grandiflorum; ‘florist’s chrysanthemum’; Asteraceae). It was hypothesized that low concentrations of S-carvone as vase solutions would improve vase life parameters for the non-proteaceous species tested. It was also hypothesised that S-carvone at 0.318 and 0.636 mM could have antibacterial activity. 2. Materials and methods Cut stems of A. holosericea, B. frutescens, C. uncinatum cv. ‘Mul- lering Brook’ and Chrysanthemum sp. cv. ‘Dark Splendid Reagan’ were harvested from plants in the greater Brisbane region, Aus- tralia. Stems with mature leaves for B. frutescens, at least four fully expanded mature phyllodes for A. holosericea, fully open flowers for Chrysanthemum sp. and ∼75–90% flowers fully opened on sprigs for C. uncinatum were used in three experiments. In experiment 1, deionised (DI) water (control), 0.318 and 0.636 mM S-carvone were used with ten single stem replicates. In 0925-5214/$ – see front matter © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.postharvbio.2009.07.009