With the aim of extending vase life of cut dahlia flowers, we investigated the postharvest characteris of the flowers. wason the role ofethylene on senescence and on treatments that have exten vase life of otherflowers.continuous exposure to ethylene at 2 or 10 uLL significantly accelerated p abscission in cut flowers. Flowers continuously immersed in 1 or 10HLL or 0.15gL citric acid. (CEPA) solution wilted earlier than those treated with distilled water(Dw) 0.9 nLg fresh weight ylene production from the ovary and ray petal was relatively high(45 and decreased gradually over 5 days. remarkable increase in ethylene pro tion was observed during senescence. Silver thiosulfate complex(STS), an inhibitor of ethylene ac did the life of cut flowers, although a high silver concentration was detected in not extend organs. In contrast, pulse treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene(1-MCP) and dip treatment wit benrylaminopurine(BA) extended the vase life of florets, and BA was more effective than 1-McP v the flowers were held in both DW and CEPA BA spray treatment extended vase life of cut Koku"Kamakura' and Michan' flowers. These results suggest that dahlia flower senescence is partially u lated by ethylene, and BA is more effective in delaying the senescence of cut dahlia flowers than ethy action inhibitors.