VARIATION IN THE SENESCENCE OF CARNATION (DIANTHUS-CARYOPHYLLUS L) CULTIVARS .2. COMPARISON OF SENSITIVITY TO EXOGENOUS ETHYLENE AND OF ETHYLENE BINDING

Flowers of the 'Sandra' and 'Chinera' cultivars of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) last about twice as long ( 14 days) as those of 'White Sim' cultivar (7 days). Application of C2H4 shortened the vase life of all three cultivars. 'Chinera' flowers were the least sensitive to C2H4, and 'Sandra' flowers were more than 10 times as sensitive. Although 'Sandra' flowers normally produce very little C2H4, C2H4 treatment induced a climacteric in C2H4 production by this cultivar. The differences in C2H4 sensitivity could only partly be explained by differences in ethylene-binding activity (number of binding sites and K(d)) in petal tissues from the different cultivars.