Biologia plantarum 52:787-791, 2008 | DOI: 10.1007/s10535-008-0154-9

Post-pollination changes in the floral organs of two Cymbidium species

L. K. Attri1,*, H. Nayyar1, R. K. Bhanwra1, A. Pehwal1
1 Department of Botany, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India

It was observed that the unpollinated flowers of Cymbidium pendulum (Roxb.) Sw. and C. aloifolium (L.) Sw. stayed fresh for 20 and 18 d, respectively, but attained senescence in 8 and 7 d, respectively, after pollination. The higher content of total soluble sugars, reducing sugars and free amino acids was observed in all the floral organs of pollinated flowers than in unpollinated ones. Pollination also up-regulated the activity of hydrolytic (α-amylase, β-amylase, invertase) and proteolytic enzymes (proteases) in floral organs. Amongst floral organs, the lip and perianth possessed highest contents of metabolites. Application of auxin inhibitor (0.25 µM triiodobenzoic acid) and ethylene inhibitor (0.25 µM AgNO3) to the pollinated flowers partially prevented the process of senescence.

Keywords: amylases; auxins; ethylene; invertase; proteases; senescence; sugars
Subjects: amino acids; auxins; Cymbidium aloifolium; Cymbidium pendulum; ethylene; growth analysis, biomass and yield enhancement; pollination; protease; sugars

Received: September 13, 2007; Accepted: July 20, 2008; Published: December 1, 2008Show citation

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Attri, L.K., Nayyar, H., Bhanwra, R.K., & Pehwal, A. (2008). Post-pollination changes in the floral organs of two Cymbidium species. Biologia plantarum, 52(4), 787-791. doi: 10.1007/s10535-008-0154-9.
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