Ph.D. (1968), Cell Biology; D.Sc. (1993) University of Auckland, New Zealand

Postharvest physiology and handling of ornamental crops.

International Agricultural Development (IAD), Plant Biology (PB),  Horticulture and Agronomy.

My general area of interest is the senescence of ornamental plants, particularly cut flowers and potted plants. With a partial appointment in Cooperative Extension, my work covers the spectrum from studies of the biochemistry of senescence to application, in the field, of new methods in postharvest technology.

Major areas of research at the present time include:

• Study of the role of ethylene gas in plant biology, and the practical potential of treatments with anti-ethylene agents for preventing ethylene effects.
• Study of the water relations of cut flowers and foliage, the processes leading to reduced vase-life through wilting, and the role of bacteria in the vase solution in reducing cut flower life.
• Studies of the molecular basis of ethylene insensitive senescence.
• Development of improved methods for harvesting, handling, pretreating and storing cut flowers.
• Use of biotechnology to improve ornamental plant germplasm studies of the function of senescence-associated genes using Virus-Induced Gene Silencing.

• Reid, M.S. 2009.  IATA Perishable Cargo Manual: Handling of Cut Flowers for Air Transport.
• Reid, M.S., and Staby, G.L. 2008.  A brief history of 1-Methylcyclopropene. HortScience 43:83-85.
• Jiang, C-Z, Lu, F., Imsabai, W., Meir, S., and Reid, M.S. 2008. Silencing polygalacturonase expression inhibits tomato petiole abscission.  Journal of Experimental Botany  23:1-7.
• Xu, X., Gookin, T., Jiang, C-Z, and Reid, M. 2007.  Genes associated with opening and senescence of Mirabilis jalapa flowers. Journal of Experimental Botany 58:2193-2201
• Chen, J.C., Jiang, C.Z., Gookin, T.E., Hunter, D.A, Clark, D.G. and Reid, M.S. 2004 .Chalcone synthase as a reporter in virus-induced gene silencing studies of flower senescence.  Plant Molecular Biology.  55:521-530
• Hunter, D.A., M. Yi, X. Xu and M. S. Reid. 2004. Role of ethylene in perianth senescence of daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus l. 'Dutch Master'). Postharvest Biology And Technology 32:269-280.
• Chen, J-C., Jiang, C-Z. & Reid, M.S. 2005. Silencing a prohibitin alters plant development and senescence. The Plant Journal 44:16-24
  2006  Meir S, Hunter D.A., Chen J.C., Halaly V., Reid M.S.  Molecular changes occurring during acquisition of abscission competence following auxin depletion in Mirabilis jalapa. Plant Physiol. 141:1604-1616.
• Guerrero, C., M. de la Calle, M.S. Reid, and V. Valpuesta. 1998. Analysis of the expression of two thiolprotease genes from daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) during flower senescence. Plant Molecular Biology 36: 565-571.
• Newman, J. P., L.L. Dodge and M.S. Reid. 1998. Evaluation of ethylene inhibitors for postharvest treatment of Gypsophila paniculata L. HortTechnology 8(1): 58-63.
• Doi, M. and M.S. Reid. 1996. Postharvest characteristics of cut Camellia japonica L. 'Kumasaka'. Postharvest Biology and Technology 7: 331-340.
• Reid, M.S. 1995. Ethylene in plant growth, development, and senescence. IN: Plant Hormones, Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Peter J. Davies, Editor. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht/Boston/London. pp 486-508.