CHANGES OF SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ACTIVITIES IN CUT Hedychium coronarium SPIKE DURING VASE-HOLDING LIFE

During the vase-holding life of cut Hedychium coronarium spike , the dry weight of flowerets and their contents of soluble protein and soluble carbohydrate increased at first and decreased after full bloom. The activities of SOD,CAT,POD decreased at first and then increased ,the activity of SOD peaking in the fully bloom floweret, while the activities of CAT,POD reached peaks at a relatively later time when the flowerets began to bend. The content of MDA increased all the time, but increased significantly only at the later period when the activities of SOD,CAT,POD began to decrease again. The plasma membrane permeability was stable at first and increased sharply after full bloom when the content of MDA accumulated to a high level. These indicated that disorder of active oxygen metabolism was probably responsible for the senescence of cut H. coronarium spike during the vase-holding life.