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Phenolic Compounds and Organic Acid Composition of Syringa vulgaris L. Flowers and Infusions
The study aimed to determine the content of phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids) and organic acids in dried flowers and water infusions of non-oxidised and oxidised flowers from four lilac cultivars. The diversity in the total phenolic and flavonoid content was in the flowers (18.35–67.14 and 2.03–2.65 mg g−1 DW, respectively) and infusions (14.72–47.78 and 0.20–1.84 mg per 100 mL infusion, respectively) depending the flower colour and form (oxidised and non-oxidised). Phenolic compounds and organic acids were susceptible to oxidation. Compared to infusions, flowers had more phenolic compounds and organic acids. The highest content of most phenolic compounds was confirmed for non-oxidised purple flowers (up to 7825.9 µg g−1 DW for chlorogenic acid) while in infusions for non-oxidised white flowers (up to 667.1 µg per 100 mL infusions for vanillic acid). The phenolic profile of the infusions was less diverse than that of flowers. The scavenging ability ranged from 52 to 87%. The highest organic acid content in flowers was for oxidised blue and purple flowers (2528.1 and 2479.0 µg g−1 DW, respectively) while in infusions the highest organic acid content was for oxidised purple flowers (550.1 µg per 100 mL infusions).
The longevity of cut Polygonatum multiflorum (L.) All. shoots depending on postharvest handling
The experiment was carried out to investigate the possibility of extension of the postharvest longevity of cut shoots of <i>Polygonatum multiflorum</i> depending on the type of conditioning. The shoots were collected for three experiments in May, June, and July. The following substances were used for conditioning: gibberellic acid (in May, June, and July) at a concentration of 50 and 100 mg dm<sup>-3</sup>, benzyladenine (in May) at a concentration of 50 or 100 mg dm<sup>-3</sup>, and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate (in July) at a concentration of 200 mg dm<sup>-3</sup>. The conditioning was carried out at a temperature of 5 °C or 18 °C (May, June) or 18 °C (July). After conditioning, shoots were stored in a room at a temperature of 18 °C (May, June) or at 18 °C or 22 °C (July). The shoots of <i>Polygonatum multiflorum</i> harvested in July and conditioned with gibberellic acid at a concentration of 100 mg dm<sup>-3</sup> were characterized by extended longevity. Benzyladenine at a concentration of 50 mg dm<sup>-3</sup> proved to be useful for conditioning. In turn, 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate had no influence on the longevity of the shoots. The variation in the temperature during conditioning and storage was found not to have a positive impact on longevity.