Flower senescence was studied in
Gladiolus cv. “Snow Princess” over five arbitrarily divided developmental stages (stage 1, half bloom; stage 2, full bloom; stage 3, beginning of wilting; stage 4, 50 % wilting; stage 5, complete wilting) in terms of changes in fresh weight, antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; ascorbate peroxidase, APX; glutathione reductase, GR) activities and membrane integrity. A significant decrease in tepal fresh weight was observed over the senescence period (after stage 2). Membrane integrity was studied by measuring lipid peroxidation [in terms of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content] and membrane stability index (MSI) percentage. Maximum TBARS content was recorded in stage 4 (50 % wilting). This increase in lipid peroxidation over the senescence period was in close association with high degree of membrane deterioration expressed as decrease in membrane stability index percentage. A significant decrease (two and half-fold) in MSI % in stage 5 (as compared to stage 1) indicates complete membrane deterioration. Progressive increase in endogenous H
2O
2 level was recorded over senescence period. Maximum H
2O
2 content (19.7±1.4 μmol g
−1 DW) was recorded at stage 5 (complete wilting). Three different patterns were observed in antioxidant enzymes behavior over the senescence period. APX activity was declined significantly as, the flower entered stage 3 (beginning of wilting) from full bloom condition (stage 2). Progressive and significant increase in SOD activity was measured as a function of time. Maximum SOD activity (24.2±0.8 U mg
−1 DW) was recorded in stage 5 (three-fold increase over stage 1). GR activity initially increased up to stage 4 (50 % wilting) and declined significantly thereafter (
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seven-fold). An increase in endogenous H
2O
2 level during senescence may be the result of a programmed down-regulation of APX enzyme activity, which seems to be the prerequisite factor for initiating senescence process in gladiolus tepal.