Flower development and senescence in Narcissus tazetta ‘Kashmir Local’

Abstract Flower development and senescence was studied in Narcissus tazetta ‘Kashmir Local’. Flower development was divided into six stages (I-VI), from the tight bud stage to the senescent stage. Flower fresh and dry weight increased as the flowers progressed from bud to bloom and then declined during senescence. Membrane permeability of tepal tissues increased as the flower progressed through various stages. The content of sugars (reducing and total) increased during flower development and declined thereafter during senescence. The α-amino acid content registered an increase during flower development with a concomitant decrease in soluble protein content. The SDS-PAGE of protein extracts from tepal tissues revealed a general decrease in the expression of some high molecular weight proteins and an increase in low molecular weight proteins during flower development and senescence. It may be suggested that the flower senescence of N. tazetta may be linked to the protein turnover and sugar status of the perianth tissues and that these newly synthesized proteins may be involved in proteolysis. At this stage, it is not known whether these polypeptides play an important role in senescence but revealing the nature of these proteins can provide new insights into the pathways executing senescence in this flower system.