Extension of vase life of cut carnations by structured water

The effect of the structured water on vase life of carnations was investigated. The structured water is formed due to hydrophobic interaction when xenon gas dissolves into water. NMR measurements were carried out to determine proton spin-spin relaxation time, T2, for water. There was a difference in proton T2 between distilled water and structured water. This can be interpreted as the change of water structure. Two groups of carnation cut flowers in a same growth stage were used. The one group having 11.20 g in weight was placed in water and kept in a constant temperature room at 293 K. The other group having 11.76 g in weight was placed in pressure container to which xenon was forced to the pressure of 0.5 MPa. It was kept for 24 h at 293 K to form structured water. After this, the flowers were removed from the pressure container and both groups of flowers were kept under normal composition of air to examine vase life. For the group of flowers without treatment, the climacteric pattern of respiration was observed. On the other hand, for the treated group of flowers by xenon, climacteric pattern was not observed and vase life was extended.