Lilium flowers vase life are associated by different factors which influence life
quality of plant. Sugars are generally used to extend the vase life of the most cut
flowers. Such beneficial effects have been associated with an improvement of water
relations and an increase in available energy for respiration by floral tissues. In order to
determine the importance of carbohydrate distribution in regulation of development and
senescence, the role of sucrose was characterized based on completely randomized
design in lilium LA hybrid "Ceb Dazzle" flowers. Postharvest flower longevity after
anthesis of detached buds was well correlated with total carbohydrate content of the
tepals at harvest time. Longevity of attached flowers remained constant within the
inflorescence, likely due to postharvest redistribution of tepal carbohydrate. By
increasing the buds growth, starch amount was increased. Buds with 80 mm length had
the most amount of starch. In development time of buds, changes trend in sucrose,
glucose, and fructose level was the same, approximately. The nearly identical amounts
of fructose and glucose within lily tepals suggest that sucrose is probably converted by
invertase, rapidly. It seems that reduced sugars supply a large proportion of the
carbohydrate pool in the tepals. The flower buds are active metabolic centers, since the
translocation sugar is probably sucrose. However, sugar application in the vase solution
induced more development of leaf yellowing when compared to those in a sugarless
solution and higher concentrations of sucrose caused leaf blackening.