Journal d'horticulture
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Ethylene, 1-MCP and the Anti-Transpirant Effect of Active Compound-Film Forming Blend

Besufkad A and Woltering E

Pot plant production in green house is most of the time under high relative humidity and frequent irrigation. While, during shipping and retailing plants may be exposed to high temperature and infrequent irrigation. These unfavorable conditions often cause water loss, desiccation of plants and short shelf life. To reduce the deteriorating effect of water loss, application of anti-transpirants is one of the integral measures to implement. In the first experiment we evaluated the anti-transpirant effect of two physiologically gaseous active compounds Ethylene and 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropane) and their interaction with the successful active compound ABA (Abscisic acid). In the second experiment, hoping to discover a more potent anti-transpirant we evaluated the efficacy of an active compound-film forming blend. Excised leaves of Spathiphyllum sweet checo were sprayed with different formulations. Weight loss of leaves as gram of water per gram of initial leaf weight and stomatal conductance were measured. On the first experiment, 10 ppm Ethylene and 500 ppb 1-MCP found to reduce water loss conspicuously and negatively interacted with 1.5 mM ABA. On the second experiment, a potent mixture of active compound-film anti-transpirants: ABA 1.5 mM+Leaf shine 1:20 followed by SA (Salicylic acid) 5 mM+Leaf shine 1:20 and SNP (Sodium nitroprusside) 200 µM+Leaf shine 1:20 were discovered. On both experiments significant positive correlations were found between weight loss and stomatal conductance (R=0.975, 0.987, P<0.05).