Improvement of vase life of cut carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) using geranium, eucalyptus and myrtle extractions

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) from the Caryophyllaceae family is a perennial shrub that is grown commercially for two years. This cut flower is non-climacteric and sensitive to vascular blockage. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of geranium, eucalyptus and myrtle essential oils on postharvest life of carnation flower in a completely randomized design with 10 treatments in three levels (values ​​of 2, 6 and 10 ml in 600 ml of distilled water from each essential oil and control. In this experiment, traits such as vase life, water uptake, petal protein content, leaf and petal pigments, stem and solution end bacteria and the activity of some enzymes were measured. Analysis of variance showed that the effect of treatments on all measured traits was significant. Mean comparison of treatments showed that both 2 ml myrtle and eucalyptus treatments induced the highest vase life with 15.73 and 15.13 days, respectively, compared to the control with 9.47 days. The highest content of total chlorophyll (11.39 mg g–1 F.W.) was obtained in cut flowers treated with 2 ml eucalyptus. The 2 ml myrtle treatment increased the absorption of water, carotenoids, proteins and superoxide dismutase activity. Counting the vase solution and stem end bacteria showed that the minimum bacteria colony in vase solution (55.00) and stem end (88.00) was obtained in cut flowers treated with 2 ml eucalyptus. Maximum bacteria colony in vase solution (98.33) and stem end (162.00) was counted in control cut flowers. The 10 ml myrtle treatment is not recommended to increase the vase life of carnation cut flowers.