What is respiration in cut flowers and how can the rate be lowered?

• A. Respiration is the process of photosynthesis to produce sugars.
• B. Respiration breaks down food and sugars to release energy; lowering surrounding temperatures speeds it.
• C. Respiration breaks down food and sugars to release energy; lowering surrounding temperatures and the use of carbohydrates slows it.
• D. Respiration stores energy by converting sugars into starch.

Answer: (C)

Respiration in cut flowers is the process of breaking down sugars to release energy for the plant’s ongoing activities. This uses up stored carbohydrates, so when respiration runs quickly, the flowers exhaust their energy reserves faster and age sooner.

To slow this process, you can lower the surrounding temperature. Lower temperatures slow the chemical reactions that drive respiration, reducing the rate at which sugars are used for energy. You can also limit the available carbohydrate fuel—if there’s less sugar available for respiration, the rate of energy production slows because there’s less substrate to metabolize. Together, these approaches help extend vase life by conserving the flower’s energy reserves.

It’s not photosynthesis, which is making sugars using light. It also isn’t about storing energy as starch during respiration—respiration consumes sugars, not stores them as starch.