Nanosilver, salicylic acid and essential oils effects on water relations of gerbera ‘Rosalin’ cut flowers

Abstract

The effects of pulse and permanent treatments were studied on vase life, water content and hydraulic conductivity of gerbera cut flower cv. Rosalin. This study was conducted as a factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications. The first factor was pulse treatments, using nanosilver (NS) 5 and 10 mg/L, salicylic acid (SA) 50 and 100 mg/L and distilled water as control, and the second factor was permanent treatments applying distilled water, sucrose, peppermint, thyme and clove essential oils (EO). The results showed that NS 10 mg/L + peppermint EO 100 mg/L and NS 10 mg/L + thyme EO 100 mg/L treatments had the best effect on longevity and maintaining the water content and hydraulic conductance of Rosalin cut flower, compare to other treatments. These solutions enhanced life of gerbera cut flowers to about 14 days. Flower water content was high (about 90%) except in 4% sucrose permanent treatment flowers which decreased more rapidly during the vase life. The effective hydraulic conductivity was observed in NS 10 mg/L + peppermint EO 100 mg/L (0.16 cm/min) and NS 10 mg/L + thyme EO 100 mg/L (0.21 cm/min) solutions and had nearly stable trend even in day 8 after pulsing.