These experiments were conducted to develop the rapid method for screening chemical which is responsible for the inhibitory effect on EFE or other enzymes in ethylene biosynthesis, and to investigate the effect of preservative solutions containing the chemicals for prolonging vaselife of cut carnations. This method was based upon a relative comparison between distilled water (DW) control and DW control plus chemical, and between ACC control and ACC control plus chemical in the measurement of EFE activity using apple slice.
Addition of AOA or AVG, which was known as an ACC synthase inhibitor, severely reduced ethylene production as compared to that of DW control, but not as compared to that of ACC control. This fact clearly indicated that AOA or AVG reacted as only a ACC synthase inhibitor and therefore the method was very efficient and useful in the rapid chemical screening. Aspirin, 2,4-DNP, and polar fraction of Album sativum were found to be very effective in inhibition of EFE activity. On the other hand, procain and Angelica extract were found to be a little effective in inhibition of ethylene biosynthetic enzymes except EFE. Although DCPTA, DNP, and Ge were not involved in inhibition of ethylene biosynthetic enzymes, they delayed the senescence of carnations by maintaining water uptake continuously. Specially, DNP did not increase the longevity of cut carnations despite that it had inhibitory effect on EFE activity and maintained water uptake.
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