Improving vase life of carnation cut flowers by silver nano-particles acting as anti-ethylene agent
Department of Horticultural Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran. Jaber Ibne Hayyan Research Laboratories, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, Tehran, Iran.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2014.v16i03.34
Key words: Chlorophyll, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), vase solution, ethylene
Abstract: Most of the carnation cultivars are sensitive to exogenous ethylene and their petals exhibit autocatalytic ethylene production during senescence. Compounds containing silver have been shown to act as anti-ethylene agent in improving postharvest characteristics of cut flowers. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications by applying four concentration of silver nano-particles in vase solution of cut carnation cultivar �Miledy�. ICP-AES analyses revealed that the higher amount of silver was absorbed in various tissues of plants treated with 5 mg L-1, compared to other concentrations. Cut stems of �Miledy� cultivar receiving 5 mg L-1 of silver nano-particles showed the highest vase life and the lowest rate of ethylene production. The tissue accumulation of Ag element was generally higher in basal stem ends and leaves treated with 5 mg L-1 than other concentrations. The results of ICP and ethylene measurement showed that silver nano-particles reduced ethylene production as well as bacterial growth in vase solution and resulted improved vase life of carnation.
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