The longevity of plant flowers is controlled by genetically programmed mechanisms. After a certain amount of time after flowering, the expression of genes associated with programmed cell death is induced and cellular components such as proteins and nucleic acids are degraded, causing the flower to wilt and die. In the horticultural field, flower longevity is an important trait that determines the commercial value of ornamental plants, and the development of technologies to prolong flower longevity is desired.
