Effects of extract and essential oil of Thymbra spicata L. and Satureja bachtiari L. on improving quality and vase life of cut flower Gerbera jamesoni L.

The vascular obstruction due to the growth of microbial agents, especially bacteria, is one of the most important reasons for reducing the quality and vase life of cut flowers in the postharvest stage. In order to investigate the effect of extract (1 and 2 %) and essential oil (EO) (25 and 50 ppm) of Thymbra spicata L. and Satureja bachtiarica L. on bacterial population and vase life of cut flower Gerbera jamesonii L. var. Pink Elegance, this experiment was designed as a factorial based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The results showed that the experimental treatments, by reducing the bacterial population at the end of flower branch, maintained the quality and increased the vase life of flowers (up to three days in treatment with 50 ppm of S. bachtiarica EO, compared with the control samples. Also, the antibacterial activity and vase life of cut flowers increased by increasing the concentration of EO and extract of both medicinal plants. After eight days of storage, the results showed that the maximum vase life (11 days), relative absorption of vase solution (8.95 ml/g FW per day), and the lowest bacterial population of the end of the flower branch were related to 50 ppm of S. bachtiarica EO treatment. However, in terms of relative fresh weight, total soluble solids, anthocyanin content, ion leakage, malondialdehyde content, and the activity of catalase, and phenylalanine ammonia lyase enzymes, there was no significant difference between two treatments of 50 ppm EO from medicinal plants T. spicata L. and S. bachtiarica L. Therefore, the use of 50 ppm EO of S. bachtiarica, and in the second rank of T. spicata, is recommended as a practical method in the process of postharvest and marketing of gerbera cut flowers.