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This research was conducted to investigate the changes in fresh weight (FW) of various floral parts during the senescence of cut carnations and the effects of pulsing with silver thiosulfate (STS) on these changes. ´White Sim´ carnations were harvested at open stage, pulsed with 4 mM STS for 30 minutes, and kept in distilled water at 21 C. FW of cut carnations increased until day 2 or 3 and then decreased. This decrease showed abrupt change after day 6 when the flower began to wilt. But, the FW of carnation pulsed with STS increased until day 3 and then gradually decreased. FW of petals increased until day 2 and then gradually decreased. This decrease became severer after day 6. FW of petals pulsed with STS, however, increased until day 3, and then was maintained at the similar level until day 12, indicating that pulsing with STS affected sink-source relationship and petals acted as a strong sink until day 12. FW of ovary increased continuously after harvest, and this showed a rapid increase after senescence of petals, suggesting that ovary acted as a strong sink as petals were senescing. FW of ovary of flower pulsed with STS, however, was maintained at the constant level until day 7 and then decreased. FW of style and receptacle gradually increased after harvest and then gradually decreased as petals began to wilt. But STS pretreatment resulted in constant FW of style and receptacle.
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