EFFECT OF NATURAL EXTRACTS ON VASE LIFE OF GYPSOPHILA CUT FLOWERS

The experimental trial was consummated throughout two successive seasons (2012 and 2013) at the Post-Harvest Lab. of Ornamental Plants and Landscape Gardening Research Dept., Hort. Res. Inst.; Giza, Egypt on Gypsophila paniculata L. “Perfecta” cut flowers. Short postharvest vase life is one of the most important problems on the cut flowers. In this study we investigated the effect of natural plant extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris) or moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam), chemical solutions (8-Hydroxyquinoline citrate, salicylic acid and sucrose) as holding solution and storage periods (0 and 7 days at 4°C) on extending the vase life of gypsophila cut flowers. The treatments were: distilled water (D.W.), thyme extract (25%), thyme extract (25%) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l), moringa extract (25%), moringa extract (25%) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l) and 8-Hydroxyquinoline citrate (200 mg/l) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l). Results showed that holding solution containing natural extracts: thyme (25%) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l), moringa (25%), moringa (25%) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l) increased flower longevity followed by the chemical solution of 8- Hydroxyquinoline citrate (200 mg/l) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l) as compared to D.W. The results also revealed that extracts solution (thyme or moringa plus sucrose and salicylic acid) increased fresh weight %, total carbohydrates % and water uptake, but decreased water loss, maintained quality rate, water balance, and decreased number of bacteria in the solution. Concerning the effect of storage period (dry cold storage for 7 days) it has shown favorable effect on vase life and the other studied characters, but 0 day (unstored flowers) significantly surpassed the storage for 7 days. The results of interaction showed that holding solutions containing natural extracts with storage for 0 days (unstored flowers) had the highest effect on vase life, fresh weight %, total carbohydrates % , water uptake, water loss, water balance and quality rate. It could be concluded that the best treatments were natural extracts: thyme (25%) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l) and moringa (25%) + sucrose (2%) + salicylic acid (150 mg/l) stored 0 day (unstored flowers), which significantly improved the studied characters compared to the other treatments.