Effect of silicon and salicylic acid on lignin formation and antioxidant enzymes in gerbera flower

The quality and vase-life of cut flowers are highly dependent on stability of stems and antioxidant potential. This experiment was conducted as two factorial experiments in a randomized complete block design to study the effect of silicon fertilization and salicylic acid on quality of the gerbera(Gerbera jamesonii Bolus.) cut flowers in soilless culture and postharvest activity of antioxidant enzymes. First experiment was foliar application of 0, 10 and 20 mM of silicon as potassium silicate and 0, 100 and 200 mM of salicylic acid (SA) before harvest. In the second experiment pre-harvest silicon supplementations were similar to the first experiment and post-harvest treatments with 0, 200, 400 µM of salicylic acid were done. Flower stems length in winter and spring seasons, decreased by silicon nutrition (P≤0.05), but number of flowers increased by silicon supplementation (p≤0.001) and salicylic acid foliar application (p≤0.05). SA treatments increased lignin biosynthesis (p≤0.001). Silicon supplementation increased the vase life of cut flowers (p≤0.001), but activity of catalase and peroxidase were increased as affected by postharvest SA treatments (p≤0.001). These results suggest that silicon and salicylic acid applications could improve the quality and vase life of cut flowers in gerbera.