Lifespan of cut flowers of gerbera under thyme essence and salicylic acid effects

The beauty of the gerbera flower depends on the lifespan of its petals. The lifespan of the petals depends on preserving the relative water content and the metabolic activity of the petals cells. The flower producers use compounds that protect and enhance the metabolism of the cells, as well as prevent the invasion of bacterial pathogens and the ability to maintain the water's potential for petals tissues. The present study was conducted to determine the lifespan and metabolic activities of the petals tissues under thyme essence and salicylic acid effects. Treatments were different concentrations of thyme essence (0, 150, 300, 600 μl L-1) and salicylic acid (0, 500, 1000, 2000 μM L-1) and their simultaneous use in aqueous medium. The treatments were sorted in the factorial experiment (4×4) on a randomized complete block design with three replications in laboratory conditions. The variables were lifespan, relative water content, activity of enzymes (phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase and catalase), malondialdehyde content and anthocyanin content in the petals cells. The most important results showed that 600 μl L-1 of thyme essence in the container of the cut flowers due to its antioxidant and antibacterial properties, increased the lifespan of the flowers compared with the control for 4 days. Also, 2000 μM L-1of salicylic acid due to the improved ability of the tissue defense system of the petals via arising of the resistance to oxidative stress of cells increased the life span of the cut flowers from 4 days to 8 days.