Effect of Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) treatment before and after harvesting on frost control of cut flowers.

Due to the sensitivity of Anthurium cut flowers to cold shock, their optimal storage temperature is 12.5 to 20°C. In this study, the effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatment at concentrations of zero (control), 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mM as a spray before harvesting and immersion of the stem end after harvesting (15 minutes at 20°C) on postharvest cold shock of Anthurium cut flowers of the Sirion cultivar stored at 4°C for 21 days was evaluated. Chilling injury in Anthurium cut flowers was associated with spot browning, increased ion leakage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. GABA treatment at concentrations of 1 and 5 mM, before and after harvest, respectively, reduced spot browning and delayed the increase in ion leakage and MDA accumulation. GABA treatment delayed the decrease in relative water content (RWC) in Anthurium cut flowers during 21 days of storage at 4°C. Furthermore, during 21 days of storage at 4°C, GABA treatment slowed down the anthocyanin reduction and GABA-treated Anthurium cut flowers had high levels of anthocyanin. GABA treatment increased the accumulation of glycine betaine (GB) in Anthurium cut flowers at 4°C.