Journal of Ornamental Plants
Volume:6 Issue: 1, Winter 2016

Cycad is one of the most important cut foliage plants with several usages. This experiment was focused on increasing the vase life of Cycad’s cut foliage in normal storage condition. Experiment was based on a CRD with three replications. Treatments were conducted for four different levels of gibberellic acid (GA3) and benzyl adenine (BA) each one with 0, 50, 100 and 150 mg L-1, according to mentioned statistical design. In all treatments except control, silver nitrate (AgNO3) with 40 mg L-1 and 3% sucrose were used. The measured traits were; vase life, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, water loss and some external quality factors. Results showed that GA3 had significant and positive effects on increasing the vase life of cycad’s cut foliage and kept the external quality in good condition. However, unlike the gibberellic acid, treatment with high concentration of BA decreased vase life of cycad’s cut foliage. Also, relation between storage time, BA and GA3 on most of measured external factors like leaflet dryness and fragility, were significant. The best treatments were selected as 50 mg L-1 GA3 without BA which increased the vase life of cycad’s leaves to 101 days in storage condition.

Gladiolus is very popular and highly demanded cut flower worldwide however imbalance nutrition reduces its production, additionally irrational combination of nutrient further kindled the situation. The current study was conducted to ascertain the effects of different combinations of N, P and K on growth, floral development, and N, P and K uptake by gladiolus leaves. N, P and K was applied as; whole NPK (10: 20: 10 g m-2), N (20 g m-2), P (10 g m-2), K (10 g m-2), N (20: 10 g m-2), N (20: 10 g m-2), P (10:10 g m-2). Among treatments, better growth in term of higher sprouting percentage, plant height, leaf area was observed under whole NPK application while stem length and spike length was significantly higher under P. Further, we found whole NPK application resulted in higher floret fresh and dry weight whereas maximum floret diameter was under P. We found that K played significant role in the floret development while P was important for attaining higher corm weight. Higher leaf chlorophyll contents and N uptake was under whole NPK application. Alone P application showed maximum P uptake and higher K uptake was under P treatment. Our results concluded that balanced fertilization (NPK) is better for sustainable gladiolus production.

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa) is one of the most important cut flowers with fragrant buds. To prolong vase life of tuberose, proper preservative solution applying is necessary. For this purpose, two types of chemical and natural treatments were used. Applied treatments were benzyladenine (50, 100, and 150 mg l-1), the extracts of rosemary and Eucalyptus (12, 25 and 50%) and sour orange fruit extract (3, 4, 5 and 6 ml l-1). Sucrose 4% was used in all solutions. Measured characteristics included the vase life, the percentage of opening of the buds, the relative fresh weight, the solution absorption, the total soluble solids, chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll. The results showed that the maximum vase life was obtained in benzyladenine treatment of 50 mg l-1 (11.66 days) and the minimum vase life was obtained in the control treatment and rosemary extract of 50% (6.33 days). The highest percentage of buds opening was related to the benzyladenine treatment of 150 mg l-1. The maximum relative fresh weight and solution absorption were obtained in the benzyladenine treatments of 100 and 50 mg l-1, respectively and the maximum amount of total soluble solids was obtained in Eucalyptus extract treatment of 12 %. In addition, the maximum amount of chlorophyll a, b and total was related to the treatment of sour orange fruit extract of 4.5 mg l-1. In general, the results showed that benzyladenine had the maximum vase life but, natural compounds especially the extracts of Eucalyptus and sour orange had the significant effect on the vase life and the other traits of tuberose cut flowers and they can be used as simple, healthy and cheap compounds.

Gladiolus is an important marketable cut flower, especially valued for use in floral arrangements. We assessed the effects of two different methods of application (foliar spray and drench) and various concentrations of gibberellic acid (GA3), salicylic acid (SA), mival (MI) and krizatcin (KR) on vegetative and reproductive features of Gladiolus hybridus. The experiment was planned in a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with four replicaties. The results showed that plant growth regulators (PGRs) had significant effect on florets number, leaf area and corm weight and volume. The best treatment to increase the floral stalk length was 50 mg L-1 GA3 spray. Our results indicated that higher GA3 doses significantly increased leaf area more than lower doses. Furthermore, maximum floret diameter was achieved at 100 mg L-1 MI applied as foliar spray. The maximum number of florets (15.87) was obtained in the plants treated with intermediate concentrations of MI in both application methods. Corms drenched with 25 mg L-1 MI effectively increased their corm weight and volume. Generally, MI was found to be more effective than other PGRs. Therefore, due to greater efficacy of mival, it is suggested to use this PGR in order to increase the growth of vegetative organs as well as reproductive attributes.

To evaluate the physiological responses of chrysanthemum to silicon spray in non-stress conditions, this study was performed in two separate experiments (at 4 to 5 and 8 to 12-leaf stages) as a factorial randomized completely design with two factors: silicon source (in two levels: sodium silicate and calcium silicate) and the concentration of silicate at five levels (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg L-1) in cocopeat- perlite (1:1 v/v) medium in four replications and two observations. Physiological traits such as catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX) activity, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content were measured. The results showed that the foliar spray of sodium and calcium silicate increased the activity of CAT, APX and GPX enzymes and MDA, but proline and H2O2 were decreased. Generally, in the stage of 8-12 leaves, sodium silicate at high concentrations (150 and 200 mg L-1) was the most effective in increasing antioxidant enzymes activity and reducing proline, MDA and H2O2. At 4-5 leaf stage sodium silicate at 100 mg L-1 increased antioxidant enzymes activity and calcium silicate at 150 mg L-1 reduced proline, MDA and H2O2.

For the improvement the postharvest longevity of cut alstroemeria (Alstroemeria hybrida L.), a factorial experiment was carried out based on RCD with 2 factors of stem end splitting at two levels (5 cm splitting and without splitting) and ethanol at five levels (0, 1, 2, 4 and 6%), 10 treatments, 3 replications and 30 plots. In this experiment, the estimated traits included vase life, water absorbtion, fresh weight, dry matter percent, ethylene, petal anthocyanin, electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation (MDA). ANOVA showed significant differences among treatments for vase life, water absorbtion, dry matter percent and electrolyte leakage at the 5% probability level and for other traits at the 1% probability level. Results showed that different treatments improved vase life as compared to control and maximum vase life of 19.77 days was achieved under the treatment of ethanol 1% with 5 cm splitting compared to control (11.09 days).

Leaf explants of kaladium dwubarwne Caladium bicolor (Aiton) Vent., were cultured in vitro on MS media supplemented with 25 different concentrations of BAP and NAA in order to determine the appropriate concentrations for micropropagation. All combinations induced callus formation on explants. Callus production on leaves explants grown on control medium was very low. The medium enriched with 4 mg l-1 BAP 0.5 mg l-1 NAA was the most effective for callus formation. The highest number of shoots (6.43 per explant) and roots (5.56 per explant) were regenerated on media containing 1 mg l-1 BAP 0.5 mg l-1 NAA and 3 mg l-1 BAP 0.5 mg l-1 NAA, respectively. The regenerated plantlets were grown in a greenhouse and acclimatized successfully.