The water relation parameters are associated with the genotypic differences in the vase life of cut rose flowers

Vascular system blockages and a shortage of mechanistic support are important limitations on the vase life quality of cut flowers. These characteristics contribute to sensitivity to neck bending and senescence. In this study, the role of xylem anatomy in the process related to the high/low or continuous/discontinuous water absorption during vase life was investigated, and the physiological responses of 11 commercial cut rose cultivars were determined to explore the relationship between cut flower vessel anatomy and transpirational water loss. The results revealed that rose cultivars with a larger xylem diameter had the longest vase life, and there was a positive association between these two variables. The ethylene and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were low in cultivars with a long vase life, showing the non -susceptibility of these cultivars to postharvest deterioration resulting from ethylene exposure and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Since vase life was not significantly correlated to stomata number and aperture, therefore, stomata status and density were not major factors that cause the incidence of cut rose stem bending, and a shorter vase life may result from lower water absorption. The principal component analysis (PCA) allows screening and detecting physiological parameters that significantly distinguish the most variation amongst the 11 studied cultivars and shows the relationships between the vase life and the water absorption parameters. This study provides some criteria for the identification and selection of the best treatments to prolong the vase longevity of different rose cultivars.