Petal senescence in cut roses.

Abstract

Roses (Rosa sp.) are highly valued ornamental plants, with over 25 000 cultivars created by breeders, among which cut roses dominate the global flower market. Flowers of these cultivars can last up to 20 days in a vase from the moment they are cut, which is not the case for garden roses. This review examines whether the vase life of cut roses resembles or differs from natural flower senescence, focusing on the phytohormonal processes involved in both scenarios. We first compare petal senescence with other senescence phenomena and then examine genes related to hormone action. Finally, we show the similarities between senescence in cut roses and that of standing roses. We conclude that, despite the existence of similarities, including the involvement of ethylene in petal senescence, comparative studies between cut and uncut roses would be useful, both for basic research and to improve the selection of varieties with long vase life.