Attempt to elucidate the cause of the rapid decrease in flower scent in cut flowers

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K05571
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 39030:Horticultural science-related
• Research Institution: National Agriculture and Food Research Organization
• Principal Investigator: Kishimoto Kyutaro 国立研究開発法人農業・食品産業技術総合研究機構, 野菜花き研究部門, 上級研究員 (60546737)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 香り / 切り花 / カーネーション / フェニルプロパノイド / 単糖 / 二糖 / 芳香族化合物 / ポストハーベスト

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The loss of scent in cut carnation flowers is thought to be directly caused by a decrease in phenylpropanoids in the petals. This decrease in phenylpropanoids is thought to be caused by inhibition of the process of biosynthesis of cinnamic acid from phenylalanine, but this inhibition is thought to occur through a mechanism different from a decrease in the amount of the enzyme that catalyzes this process. In addition, a decrease in the supply of methyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine is also thought to be a factor in the loss of scent.
Treatment with disaccharides or monosaccharides is thought to have the effect of removing this mechanism of suppression of scent, and may be applicable as a technique for improving the scent of cut carnation flowers.

Free Research Field

園芸学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

学術的意義：切り花において香りが失われる要因の一つが、香り（揮発フェニルプロパノイド）の基質となるフェニルプロパノイドの減少であること、また、この減少の原因と目される代謝過程を特定した。さらに、切り花への二糖や単糖処理は、この香りの抑制機構を解除すると推定され、発散香気成分量を増加せる作用をあることを見出した。
社会的意義：世界初となる切り花の香り保持剤の開発に応用可能な新知見を示した。