Gas treatment helps cut lavender stay fresh longer
Postharvest Technology
If you've ever bought a bunch of lavender at a farmers market only to watch it wilt within days, this points to a simple treatment florists could someday use to keep it looking and smelling good far longer.
Cut flowers age fast because they produce a hormone called ethylene that speeds up wilting, and lavender is especially prone to this after cold storage. Researchers found that dosing cut lavender stems with nitric oxide, a simple gas molecule, slows down ethylene production and ramps up the flower's natural antioxidant defenses. The result is lavender that holds its color, shape, and freshness noticeably longer both in the fridge and in the vase.
Key Findings
1
Nitric oxide treatment suppressed ethylene biosynthesis genes and reduced ethylene production in cut lavender stems during cold storage
2
Treated stems showed higher activity of antioxidant enzymes, reducing oxidative damage that causes wilting and browning
3
Nitric oxide-treated lavender maintained better postharvest quality and extended vase life compared to untreated controls
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Technical Summary
Treating cut lavender stems with nitric oxide before cold storage helps them stay fresh longer by slowing the plant hormone that triggers wilting and boosting the flower's own antioxidant defenses.
Lavandula is a genus of 47 known species of perennial flowering plants in the sage family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World, primarily found across the drier, warmer regions of the Mediterranean, with an affinity for maritime breezes.
