Role of the Ovary in Carnation Senescence

Mot, Y., Reid, M.S. and Kofranek, A.M., 1980. Role of the ovary in carnation senescence. Scientia Hortic., 13: 377--383. Ovary growth in carnation flowers was inhibited by pre-treatments with silver thiosulfate which retarded petal senescence. Although the start of ovary growth preceded visible wilting of untreated flowers, the ovary does not appear to control carnation senescence. Its removal did not alter the time of senescence, and isolated petals wilted at the same time as those on intact flowers. The ovary normally competes weakly for metabolites with the petals; growth of the ovary occurred only when the petals were removed or started to senesce, if the sink strength of the ovary was increased by injecting growth regulators or if sucrose was supplied exogenously. It seems unlikely that the growth of the ovary is dependent on reallocation of carbohydrate materials from the petals.