EFFECT OF SOME NATURAL ESSENTIAL OILS AND NANO-PARTICLE COMPOUNDS ON QUALITY AND VASE LIFE OF CUT-FLOWERS OF GERBERA cv. ՙROSALIN՚ AND ROSE cv. ՙBLACK MAGIC՚

Abstract

ABSTRACT Gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii, Asteraceae), is an important commercial cut-flower crop. A prominent problem of gerbera cut flowers is short vase life mostly due to neck bending amongst other factors. Rose (Rosa hybrid, Rosaceae) is the queen/king of flowers, holding a great symbolic and cultural value. The aim of this study was to screen the effects of the essential oils of thyme, clove and caraway in addition to nano-silver particles on vase life and on some parameters of gerbera cv. ‘Rosalin’ and rose cv. ‘Black magic’ cut flowers. A factorial experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design with four flowers in each of four replications. Experiments were carried out in the laboratory of Ornamental plants, Horticulture Dept., with essential oils as a first factor in normal form (at 25 and 50 mg/l) and in nano-form (at 5 and 10 mg/l). Nano-silver was the second factor (at 5 mg/l) in addition to distilled water as control. The measured traits included: uptake of vase solution, vase life, neck bending of gerbera, flower fresh weight. Internally activity of enzymes; polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) were estimated. Also, pigments of anthocyanin, carotenoids, total chlorophyll and also phenols index were assessed. Results of both gerbera and rose indicated that essential oils affected in a positive manner vase life, vase solution uptake and flower fresh weight.