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Article

A Composite Vase Solution Using Silicon (Si) and Other Preservatives Improved the Vase Quality of Cut Lily (Lilium ‘Siberia’) Flowers

by
Jinnan Song
1,2,
Jingli Yang
1,2 and
Byoung Ryong Jeong
2,3,*
1
Shandong Provincial University Laboratory for Protected Horticulture, Weifang University of Science and Technology, Shouguang 262700, China
2
Department of Horticulture, Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Graduate School, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
3
Division of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Horticulturae 2025, 11(2), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020112
Submission received: 18 December 2024 / Revised: 18 January 2025 / Accepted: 19 January 2025 / Published: 21 January 2025
(This article belongs to the Section Floriculture, Nursery and Landscape, and Turf)
Browse Figures
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
As a famous high-grade cut flower, the ornamental value and the marketability of lilies (Lilium spp.) are restricted by their short vase life in water. Previous reports have shown that silicon (Si) and several preservatives are able to improve the postharvest performance of cut flowers. However, the optimal combination of Si and one selected preservative to improve the vase quality of cut lily flowers was unclear. In this study, therefore, we investigated the synergistic effects of Si and one of five preservatives (water only, CaCl2, sugar, 8-HQS: 8-hydroxyquinolin sulfate, and CA: citric acid) on the vase quality of cut lily flowers ‘White Siberia’. It was found that a preservative alone (except sugar) could significantly increase the longevity of vase life, delay the water loss rate, and reinforce the antioxidant defense system (i.e., improve total phenols, total flavonoids, and major antioxidant enzymes, as well as reduce ROS-reactive oxygen species accumulation), compared with the cut stems cultured in water only. However, the maximum flowering diameter was not affected. More importantly, these mentioned synergistic effects were more pronounced when the Si was supplemented. The simultaneous use of Si and 8-HQS was the optimal combination for an improved postharvest performance and improved vase quality, among the 10 treatments. Taken together, a composite vase solution using Si and 8-HQS may be a recommended nutrition strategy to enhance the competitiveness of marketed cut lily flowers.

1. Introduction

The oriental lily is a bulbous flowering plant, belonging to the family Liliaceae, that is native to China [1]. As one of the most popular decorative flowers, it was widely cultivated, as there is considerable demand, within the cut flower industry, for it, due to its magnificent trumpet-shaped, slender, perfumed, and showy flowers [2,3,4]. After harvest, the quality of cut lily flowers is affected by numerous factors, such as the number of flowers, stalk length and diameter, freshness, handling, vase life, etc. [2,3,5]. However, the most important one is the seasonal environment; this can cause petal drop and a short flowering duration, which inevitably influences the vase life, thereby bottlenecking the flexibility and availability of commercial lily production [2,3,4]. Thus, creating effective methods capable of improving the vase quality of cut lily flowers would sustain lilies’ commercialization and even their industrialization development.
The longevity and vase life of cut lily flowers can be severely limited by rapid dehydration and tissue deterioration after harvest [6]. A short shelf life is normally ascribed to senescence and the poor quality of cut flowers, as characterized by tissue browning, leaf chlorosis, petal wilting, and even flower bud blasting [7,8]. This phenomenon is associated with vascular blockage, a boost in lipid peroxidation, the degradation of macromolecules, and amplified oxidative stress due to ROS (reactive oxygen species) [2,7,8]. Therefore, the postharvest performance of cut lily could also be evaluated from morphological, cellular, and physiological aspects. In this regard, a change in the cut flower fresh weight was used as a direct indicator assessing the physiological status [9].
To extend the vase life and improve the quality of cut flowers, numerous studies regarding different technology or methods with varying success have been conducted [9,10,11,12]. For instance, a desirable storage environment with low temperature and humidity, usually achieved by using heavy equipment, is considered highly effective for maintaining lily shelf life. However, this is costly and labor-intensive [9]. On the other hand, a change in ingredients in the vase solution remains the most prominent approach, due to the simple orientation and inexpensive operation reported by Elhindi [13]. Pioneering studies showed that the additions of a diverse array of chemicals, such as sugar, mineral compounds, organic acid, etc. to the holding solutions achieved a certain level of success for the improvement of postharvest performance [14,15]. Among them, silicon (Si) was distinguished as a non-toxic and stable preservative for large-scale utilization [12].
Though silicon (Si) is not recognized as essential for higher plants, the evidence regarding its beneficial effects on the physiological and biochemical aspects is progressively increasing [16,17,18]. This element is exclusively absorbed as monomeric or monosilicic acid in the soil solution by plant roots, while it is regulated by transpiration in the shoots [9,19]. It has been reported that amorphous absorbed Si forms a subcuticular double layer on the leaf epidermis, thereby influencing the transpiration rate and further resulting in reduced water loss [17,20]. In a similar way, the deposition of Si also created a mechanical barrier, contributing to the rigidity and integrity of plant cell walls and preventing bacterial invasion [18,21]. Moreover, it was demonstrated that Si could decrease the lipid peroxidation and modulate the redox homeostasis through increasing the antioxidant enzyme concentrations and non-enzymatic antioxidants [16,17,21,22]. The Si can be regarded as a preservative for use in the vase solution. Successful attempts to use it for the improvement of postharvest performance have been achieved for many cut flowers; for instance, Si was applied postharvest in the vase, which significantly extended the lifespan of cut lily and peony flowers [7,9,12]; also, the co-application of Si and Ag or Se improved the postharvest performance of cut roses and lisianthus [23,24]. However, common commercial preservatives (or composite vase solutions) were free of Si until the present, according to Nguyen and Lim [25].
In addition to Si, many substances, as mentioned above, are also typically used as preservatives, such as calcium chloride (CaCl2), sugar, 8-hydroxyquinolin sulfate (8-HQS), and citric acid (CA). Many studies illustrated that cut flowers treated with CaCl2 experienced significantly reduced occurrences of flower stem bending and water loss and experienced a prolonged vase life [26,27]. Sugar in the holding solution acted as osmotically active molecules delivering large bulks of respiratory substrate to the plants and promoted flowering [27,28]. It was found that 8-HQS mainly functioned as an antibacterial agent participating in the process of controlling bacterial growth and reducing stem blockage [29]. Similarly, the incorporation of CA in the holding solution also inhibited bacterial proliferation and concomitantly adjusted the solution pH, resulting in regular xylem water flow in cut flowers [30,31].
However, combining Si and these commercially adopted preservatives has not been investigated in cut lily flowers to date. Therefore, this study was carried out for the following reasons: (1) to investigate whether Si application imparts positive effects on the postharvest performance of cut lily flowers and (2) to explore the optimal combination of Si and a preservative for prolonging the vase life and improving the quality of cut lily flowers.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Plant Material and General Processing

Cut lily (Lilium oriental cv. ‘Siberia’) flowers were selected as the plant material. Flowering stems with a uniform diameter of approximately 9 mm were ordered from a commercial grower in Shouguang, Shandong, China. Cut flowers without any visible signs of disease or mechanical flaws, but in a tight and puffy bud stage, were harvested in the early morning. Then, these similar-quality cut stems were dry-packed in a commercial box and transported to the retrofitted refrigeration laboratory (with an air-conditioned temperature of 20 °C and a humidity of 60%) immediately.
Subsequently, the obtained stems were further cut and trimmed to 35 cm by scissors sterilized on the surface using deionized water to avoid air embolism. After cutting, they were quickly transferred to the treatment vase solutions, followed by tagging corresponding to this trial.

2.2. Treatments and Experimental Design

The cut stems with buds were placed in one of 10 vase solutions: distilled water (W), distilled water plus Si (W + Si), calcium chloride (CaCl2), calcium chloride plus Si (CaCl2 + Si), sucrose, sucrose plus Si (Sugar + Si), 8-hydroxyquinolin sulfate (8-HQS), 8-hydroxyquinolin sulfate plus Si (8-HQS + Si), citric acid (CA), and citric acid plus Si (CA + Si). The Si concentration was 2.7 mM, which was preoptimized in our early studies [9,12,32], and sourced from silica nanoparticles (NPs) [7]. Nanoparticles were found to be more efficient at penetrating the plant tissue, facilitating transport between organs, and facilitating absorption by the shoots [7,33]. A CaCl2 concentration of 2% was used, following Geshnizjany’s findings [26]. The sucrose and 8-HQS were used at concentrations of 2% and 0.89 mM, respectively, following Yang [29] and AlFayad [34]. CA at a concentration of 1.56 mM was used, as noted by Aziz [2]. All the chemicals were dissolved in distilled water; then, 400 mL of a specific treatment solution was added to each vase and replenished as needed. The experiment was conducted in the same retrofitted refrigeration laboratory as mentioned in Section 2.1 (with an air-conditioned temperature of 20 °C and a humidity of 60%); the treatment solutions were also prepared in this environment, using plastic disposable cups as vases (Figure 1).
Accordingly, this study was performed with a completely randomized design, laid out in a 2 × 5 factorial trial with three technical replicates. For each replicate, three cut stems were individually labeled and placed into one vase solution for further investigation.

2.3. Flowering Stage Definitions and Observations

The vase life of the cut flowers in this study was evaluated through observation of the flowering stages and daily fresh weight changes. While the cut flowering stems were kept in the vase solution, the postharvest flower-opening stages were recorded. These flowering stages could be distinctly divided into 6 grades by categorizing them using their postharvest appearances and statuses (Figure 2). The cut plants that developed a loose bud engaged to open were regarded as being in Stage 1. In Stage 2, the petals could be easily observed; this was identified as the ‘newly-open stage’. A half-opened flower was the key marker of Stage 3. A completely opened flower was regarded as being in Stage 4 (optimal quality). Stage 5 was characterized by petal fading or discoloration and was therefore named ‘incipient senescence’. The cut flowers wilted, lost turgidity, and even decayed, accompanied by petals rolling and dropping, in Stage 6.
The flower-opening stages of each cut lily flower per treatment were individually and daily observed until the vase life ended.

2.4. Daily Fresh Weight Change Measurements and Maximum Flower Diameter Determinations

Postharvest, the cut lily stems were individually taken out from the vase solution daily. Then, the stems underwent surface blotting using absorbent paper and were weighed using an electronic balance. Finally, the fresh weight loss ratio (%) per stem was calculated, using the following equation:
F r e s h   w e i g h t   l o s s   p e r   s t e m   % = w h o l e   f r e s h   w e i g h t   o f   c u t   s t e m s   o n   D a y   n − w h o l e   f r e s h   w e i g h t   o f   c u t   s t e m s   o n   D a y   n + 1 w h o l e   f r e s h   w e i g h t   o f   c u t   s t e m s   o n   D a y   n × 100 % , w h e r e   n ≥ 0
The maximum flower diameter of each stem was determined when it reached Stage 4 using a Vernier caliper (ShangJiang Instrument Co., Ltd., Haining, Zhejiang, China).

2.5. Evaluations of Antioxidant Defense System of Cut Lily Flowers

When the cut stems entered Stage 6, the fallen petals were individually collected, quickly immersed in liquid nitrogen, and placed in a −70 °C freezer until analysis. The levels of non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds (total phenols and total flavonoids) and the major antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT, APX, and GPX), together with ROS (O2− and H2O2), were determined for these stored lyophilized petals.

2.5.1. Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Compounds

The total phenols were measured using the Folin–Ciocalteu reagent [35]. Specifically, approximately 0.1 g of finely ground lyophilized petal powder was vigorously mixed with 500 µL distilled water and 500 µL acetone. This mixture then underwent centrifugation (17,500× g, 4 °C, 10 min) to obtain the supernatant. A total of 18 μL of the supernatant was added to a reaction medium containing 1740 µL deionized water, 70 µL Folin–Ciocalteu reagent at 0.2 N, and 175 µL sodium carbonate at 20% for 10 min, room temperature (RT). This mixture was homogenized and placed in a water bath (45 °C, 30 min) and the absorbance of it was spectrophotometrically recorded at 750 nm. The total phenols content was calculated as milligrams per gram of dry weight (mg/g DW).
The total flavonoids level was measured using a method reported by Arvouet-Grand, with minor modifications [36]. A total of 0.1 g of finely ground lyophilized petal powder was homogenized with 2 mL methanol. Then, this mixture was filtered through a filter paper (Grade 1, Whatman, Yuling Trading Co., Ltd., Hong Kong, China). Finally, 2 mL of the extract was mixed with 2 mL methanolic aluminum trichloride (2%) and allowed to incubate for 20 min in the dark. The absorbance of the mixture was read at 415 nm with a spectrophotometer (UV3200, OptoSky, Xiamen, China). The total flavonoids content was calculated as milligrams per gram of dry weight (mg/g DW).

2.5.2. Major Antioxidant Enzymes and ROS

The frozen petal samples from each treatment were individually taken out from the −70 °C freezer and were ground with a mortar over an ice bath. Subsequently, 0.1 g of finely ground petal powder was quickly weighed, mixed, and homogenized with an extraction buffer (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, EDTA at 1 mM, polyvinylpyrolidone at 2%, triton-X at 0.05%, and phosphate buffered saline, PBS at 50 mM; pH = 7.0). This mixture was centrifuged (13,000 rpm, 4 °C, 20 min) to obtain the supernatant, which was further used for the quantifications of major antioxidant enzymes. The detailed procedures regarding the measurements of SOD, POD, CAT, APX, and GPX can be found in our previous reports [12].
The superoxide (O2−) was determined using the hydroxylamine oxidization strategy, specifically the approach by Wu [37]. The hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) was colorimetrically assessed following a protocol by Mukherjee [38]. The specific procedures can be found in Li’s publication [39].

2.6. Statistics and Graphs

All the displayed data were means ± standard error, SE of no less than three biological replicates (n ≥ 3). The significant differences among treatments were determined using Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way analysis of variance, ANOVA) at a probability of (p) = 0.05 and are denoted by different letters. Statistical analysis was carried out using the SAS 8.2 program (SAS Inst., Cary, NC, USA). GraphPad Prism 8.0 software was used for graphing.

3. Results

3.1. Vase Life and Maximum Flowering Diameter as Affected by Composite Vase Solutions

The cut lily flowers treated with water only (‘W’) showed earlier on average flowering stages and a significantly shorter vase life compared with other treatments on Day 6, particularly the Si-added groups (Figure 3A). The cut lily flowers in the ‘W’ group developed approximately one and two flowering stages, respectively, ahead of those in Si-deficient groups (in addition to ‘W + Si’) and Si-sufficient groups (Figure 3A). Meanwhile, with the exception of ‘Sugar’ groups, it is worthy to note that the additions of Si to the corresponding Si-deficient groups markedly extend one flowering stage (Figure 3A). Interestingly, the cut lily plants treated with ‘CaCl2 + Si’ displayed a highly analogous flowering stage curve to that displayed by ‘CA + Si’-treated flowers on Day 6 (Figure 3A).
However, the maximum flowering diameter of cut stems failed to show any significant differences between the Si supplementations (Figure 3B). The sugar-treated cut stems unflowered and died on Day 8, regardless of Si being added (Figure 3A). Concomitantly, compared with the cut stems cultured with sugar, other holding solutions’ cut stems had dramatically bigger flower diameters (Figure 3B).

3.2. Fresh Weight Loss During Vase Life Was Delayed by Si and Other Preservatives

In order to figure out the water uptake rate of cut stems during their vase life, we investigated the fresh weight loss of the cut stems. All the treated cut stems firstly absorbed water from the vase to varying degrees. Among them, the water-only cut stems showed the most rapid water uptake rate and subsequent water loss rate from Day 1 to Day 4 (Figure 4). Similarly, even though the presence of sugar in the vase significantly decreased the water loss rate before Day 4, sugar-treated flowers still unblossomed and finally died on Day 8 (Figure 4).
However, as expected, the addition of Si to a corresponding treatment notably declined the water loss rate, irrespective of the treatments considered (Figure 4). For instance, the cut stems grown in ‘W + Si’ exhibited a significantly more stable trend for water uptake rate and water loss rate before Day 3, compared with those cultured in ‘W’ (Figure 4). In addition, from Day 4 on, the cut stems cultured in ‘8-HQS + Si’ displayed the lowest fresh weight loss, followed by those cultured in ‘CaCl2 + Si’ (Figure 4).

3.3. Enhanced Non-Enzymatic Antioxidant Compounds in Petals Due to Si and Other Preservatives

The concentrations of non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds in the fallen petals, including total phenols and total flavonoids, were determined (Figure 5). The cut stems treated with CaCl2, 8-HQS, or CA significantly showed higher total phenols and total flavonoids compared with those treated with water and sugar, regardless of the addition or not of Si.
As is apparent in Figure 5, except for the sugar group, the addition of Si nutrition to a corresponding treatment dramatically improved the concentrations of total phenols and total flavonoids. In particular, Si-sufficient plants undergoing 8-HQS treatment markedly improved the total phenols by 65.1%, compared with the Si-deficient plants undergoing 8-HQS treatment (Figure 5A). The cut stems in the ‘8-HQS + Si’ group had significantly increased total phenols and total flavonoids concentrations, by 88.7% and 1.31-fold, respectively, compared with those in the ‘W’ group.

3.4. Enhanced Enzymatic Antioxidant Compounds in Petals Due to Si and Other Preservatives

On the last day of vase life, the antioxidant enzyme concentrations, including SOD, POD, CAT, APX, and GPX, were determined.
As shown in Figure 6, the supplementation of Si notably increased the investigated antioxidant enzymes concentration, with the exception of the ‘Sugar’ group. Taking the POD activity of the 8-HQS group as an example, the addition of Si to the 8-HQS vase solution significantly increased the activity by 97.8% relative to that observed in the Si-deficient solution (Figure 6B). In addition, the 8-HQS vase solution resulted in remarkably higher activity for CAT, APX, and GPX than other treatments, regardless of any Si additions (Figure 6C–E). Meanwhile, the additions of both 8-HQS and Si to the vase solution significantly improved the SOD, POD, CAT, APX, and GPX activity by 68.1%, 3.62-fold, 2.52-fold, 3-fold, and 6.21-fold, respectively, compared with the cut stems cultured in ‘W’ (Figure 6).

3.5. Declined ROS Contents in Petals Due to Si and Other Preservatives

The oxidative injuries in terms of the ROS concentration, including superoxide (O2−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), were determined, which can be used to further understand the effects of treatments on the antioxidant abilities of petals.
As shown in Figure 7, similarly to above, except for the sugar group, the plants treated with vase solutions with added Si showed significant decreases in both O2− and H2O2 accumulations, compared with their Si-deficient counterparts. There was a more pronounced effect; the additions of both 8-HQS and Si to the vase solutions resulted in a dramatic decline in H2O2 by 64.1%, compared with plants treated with ‘W’ only (Figure 7B).

4. Discussion

The vase life of cut flowers plays a vital role in the floricultural industry [40]. Intuitively, it is highly recommended to delay senescence and extend the freshness of cut flowers by modifying the ingredients of vase solutions [12,13]. Indeed, pioneering studies have shown that numerous preservatives effectively improved the postharvest performance of cut flowers, such as CaCl2, sugar, 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate, citric acid, etc. [26,27,30,31]. However, most of them elucidated the benefits to the cut flowers, neglecting to find a composite vase solution capable of effectively prolonging the flowers’ vase life. In addition to the preservatives mentioned above, Si has been reported to be beneficial for cut flowers in many aspects [9,41], such as mitigating oxidative stress, decreasing wilting, and increasing mechanical strength. Unfortunately, few studies have investigated the influences of co-applications of Si and other effective preservatives on the performance of cut flowers. Therefore, this study was designed and conducted to unveil the optimal combination of Si and a selected preservative for prolonging the vase life and promoting the quality of cut flowers.

4.1. Co-Application of Si and a Preservative Prolonged Vase Life, Reduced Water Loss, and Delayed the Senescence of Cut Lily Flowers, but Did Not Improve the Maximum Flower Diameter

In this trail, the supplementation of Si significantly decreased the flowering stages and extended the vase life (Figure 3A). Additionally, we observed that adding Si to its corresponding vase solutions notably reduced the water loss rate and thereby delayed the senescence of cut lily flowers (Figure 4), rendering a better water status of the Si-sufficient plants. This was likely because the Si application could firstly penetrate and move through the plants, before subsequently being deposited and forming double-silicate-layer crystals, affecting transpiration [42]. Thus, Si plays an important role in making the cell wall stiffer, leading to more erect plants. These findings indicated that the benefits of Si to postharvest cut flowers were in line with many previous reports [7,9,12]. Also, it was found that Si was able to induce the plant defense system and, therefore, bacterial development was inhibited [33]. Interestingly, neither the sugar nor the sugar plus Si treatments extended the flowering stage or delayed the water loss rate and senescence (Figure 3A and Figure 4). This phenomenon can be attributed to the presence of sugars in the vase solution, presenting a greater susceptibility to the microbial occlusion [43].
However, the maximum flower opening diameters were not affected by the different ingredients in the vase solution, regardless of the Si or non-Si treatments in this experiment (Figure 3B). This finding agreed well with a previous report revealing that Si augmentation failed to confer greater opening diameters of cut peony flowers [12]. The negligible changes in the maximum flowering diameters for all the treatments were probably because of the deprived energy supply for flowering, such as carbohydrates (starch and sugar). Concurrently, carbohydrates are regarded as indispensable substrates for maintaining cut flower performance, because of their structural and biochemical roles in cell wall synthesis and osmotic pressure regulations [12,44].

4.2. Co-Application of Si and a Preservative Reinforced the Antioxidant Defense System

The petal ageing of cut flowers is a natural process that results in not only morphological changes but also multiple biophysical and biochemical deteriorations [45]. For instance, the senescence of cut flowers inevitably increases lipid peroxidation, leading to a decrease in the membrane integrity and an increase in ROS accumulation [12,45]. It has been well documented that Si application reinforces the antioxidant defense ability and reduces oxidative stress [9,12,18,22].
Indeed, the addition of Si to the vase solution significantly increased the antioxidant defense system, as measured using the non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant compound concentrations, as shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6. As a result, the ROS concentrations in the cut stems after adding Si were notably decreased (Figure 7). The non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds investigated herein play an important role in combating and avoiding oxidative damages by free radicals [46]. Additionally, the major antioxidant enzymes could be boosted to eliminate free radicals during senescence. Usually, a positive correlation exists between non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds, antioxidant enzyme activities, and antioxidant capacity [46,47].
Likewise, it was observed that the other studied preservatives, including CaCl2, 8-HQS, and CA, markedly enhanced non-enzymatic antioxidant compound (Figure 5) and antioxidant enzyme activities (Figure 6) and notably resulted in a decline in ROS accumulations (Figure 7), compared with the plants in the ‘W’ group. This finding suggests that these preservatives were able to extend the longevity and simultaneously ameliorate the quality of cut lily flowers. This extension effect conferred by CaCl2, 8-HQS, and CA has also been observed in Gerbera [27], Lisianthus (L.) [48], and chrysanthemum [49], respectively.

4.3. The Combination of Si and 8-HQS May Be the Optimal Combination for Improving the Vase Quality of Cut Lily Flowers

Accordingly, the freshness of cut lily flowers was maintained by using exogenous Si and three other preservatives, as characterized by their prolonged vase life, reduced water loss rate, and reinforced antioxidant defense system. Though the selected three preservatives remarkably improved the postharvest performance of cut lily flowers, combining Si and one of three preservatives resulted in a better performance than for any of the others (Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6 and Figure 7).
It has been suggested that 8-HQ salts had multifarious potential properties, such as being an antimicrobial agent, decreasing stem plugging, and prohibiting the development of microorganisms in xylem vessels [27,50]. According to Dung, 8-HQS is believed to be the most effective agent for decreasing the respiration rate, inhibiting microbial growth, and extending vase life [11]. In addition, the findings regarding an enhanced vase life and decreased water loss rate due to Si were in agreement with many earlier publications [7,9,12,24].
In fact, usually, commercial synthetic preservatives are free of Si, as presented by Nguyen and Lim [25]. However, the cut stems cultured in the ‘Si + 8-HQS’ group exhibited the most prolonged days of flowering, the slowest water loss rate, and the greatest antioxidant defense system (Figure 3A, Figure 4, Figure 5, Figure 6 and Figure 7). These highly positive effects, due to ‘Si + 8-HQS’, on the vase quality of cut lily flowers indicated a synergistic mechanism between these two chemicals. Succinctly, in this trial, the combination of Si and 8-HQS may be the optimal combination for improving the vase quality of cut lily flowers.

5. Conclusions

To sum up, this study showed that several selected preservatives were proven to be effective alternatives to increase the postharvest performance of cut lily flowers, as characterized by their significantly improved vase life and notably well-maintained water status. However, the benefits of the individual additions of Si to corresponding vases were demonstrably more pronounced. Additionally, the combinations of Si and other studied preservatives resulted in drastically different effects on the postharvest performance of cut lily flowers.
More importantly, the co-application of Si and 8-HQS exhibited the most prolonged vase life, most stable water status, and most reinforced antioxidant defense system (highest non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds, most antioxidant enzyme levels, and least accumulations of ROS). Thus, the simultaneous use of Si and 8-HQS may be the optimal combination for obtaining the best performance of cut lily flowers, according to this study.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, B.R.J.; methodology, B.R.J. and J.S.; software, J.S. and J.Y.; validation, B.R.J. and J.S.; formal analysis, B.R.J. and J.S.; investigation, J.S. and J.Y.; resources, B.R.J.; data curation, J.S. and J.Y.; writing—original draft preparation, J.S.; writing—review and editing, B.R.J. and J.S.; supervision, B.R.J. and J.S.; project administration, B.R.J. and J.S.; funding acquisition, J.S. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This work was supported by a young researcher project (KJRC2023018) from Weifang University of Science and Technology, Shouguang, China. Jinnan Song and Jingli Yang, during their Ph.D. process, were supported by BK21 Four Program, Ministry of Education, Korea.

Data Availability Statement

Data is contained within the article.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Figure 1. The vases used in this study; the (A) height and the (B) diameter are 13.5 cm and 9.5 cm, respectively.
Figure 1. The vases used in this study; the (A) height and the (B) diameter are 13.5 cm and 9.5 cm, respectively.
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Figure 2. The six stages of postharvest cut lily flowers based on the appearances and status. (1) ‘loose bud stage’ or ‘opening-engaged stage’; (2) ‘newly-open stage’; (3) ‘half-open stage’; (4) ‘fully-open stage’; (5) ‘incipient senescence stage’; (6) ‘wilting stage’ or ‘declined stage’. Scale bar = 5 cm.
Figure 2. The six stages of postharvest cut lily flowers based on the appearances and status. (1) ‘loose bud stage’ or ‘opening-engaged stage’; (2) ‘newly-open stage’; (3) ‘half-open stage’; (4) ‘fully-open stage’; (5) ‘incipient senescence stage’; (6) ‘wilting stage’ or ‘declined stage’. Scale bar = 5 cm.
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Figure 3. Effect of treatments on the (A) vase life and the (B) maximum flower diameters (cm) of cut lily flowers. The displayed data are means ± SE from n = 9 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test of one-way ANOVA, when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over lines or bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
Figure 3. Effect of treatments on the (A) vase life and the (B) maximum flower diameters (cm) of cut lily flowers. The displayed data are means ± SE from n = 9 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test of one-way ANOVA, when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over lines or bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
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Figure 4. Fresh weight loss per stem in response to treatments during the 10 days of vase life. The displayed data are means ± SE for n = 9 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different lowercase letters over and below lines. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
Figure 4. Fresh weight loss per stem in response to treatments during the 10 days of vase life. The displayed data are means ± SE for n = 9 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different lowercase letters over and below lines. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
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Figure 5. The non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds in fallen petals, specifically (A) the total phenols and (B) the total flavonoids, as affected by 10 treatments. Data are means ± SE, representing n = 6 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
Figure 5. The non-enzymatic antioxidant compounds in fallen petals, specifically (A) the total phenols and (B) the total flavonoids, as affected by 10 treatments. Data are means ± SE, representing n = 6 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
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Figure 6. Enzymatic activity of (A) SOD, (B) POD, (C) CAT, (D) APX, and (E) GPX observed in fallen petals, as affected by 10 treatments. Data are means ± SE, representing n = 6 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
Figure 6. Enzymatic activity of (A) SOD, (B) POD, (C) CAT, (D) APX, and (E) GPX observed in fallen petals, as affected by 10 treatments. Data are means ± SE, representing n = 6 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
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Figure 7. The ROS concentrations of (A) O2− and (B) H2O2 in fallen petals, as affected by 10 treatments. Data are means ± SE, representing n = 6 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
Figure 7. The ROS concentrations of (A) O2− and (B) H2O2 in fallen petals, as affected by 10 treatments. Data are means ± SE, representing n = 6 biological replicates. The significant differences among treatments were determined according to Duncan’s multiple comparison range test (one-way ANOVA), when p was less than 0.05, and were denoted by different letters over bars. ‘(−)’ and ‘(+)’ refer to no silicon and supplemented silicon, respectively.
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MDPI and ACS Style

Song, J.; Yang, J.; Jeong, B.R. A Composite Vase Solution Using Silicon (Si) and Other Preservatives Improved the Vase Quality of Cut Lily (Lilium ‘Siberia’) Flowers. Horticulturae 2025, 11, 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020112

AMA Style

Song J, Yang J, Jeong BR. A Composite Vase Solution Using Silicon (Si) and Other Preservatives Improved the Vase Quality of Cut Lily (Lilium ‘Siberia’) Flowers. Horticulturae. 2025; 11(2):112. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020112

Chicago/Turabian Style

Song, Jinnan, Jingli Yang, and Byoung Ryong Jeong. 2025. "A Composite Vase Solution Using Silicon (Si) and Other Preservatives Improved the Vase Quality of Cut Lily (Lilium ‘Siberia’) Flowers" Horticulturae 11, no. 2: 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020112

APA Style

Song, J., Yang, J., & Jeong, B. R. (2025). A Composite Vase Solution Using Silicon (Si) and Other Preservatives Improved the Vase Quality of Cut Lily (Lilium ‘Siberia’) Flowers. Horticulturae, 11(2), 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11020112

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