Fereshteh Abbasi; Azizolah Khandan-Mirkohi; Ali Haji Ahmad; Mohsen Kafi; Majid Shokrpour
Abstract
This study aimed to optimize an efficient nutrient system to produce cut Lilium flowers while considering the recent severe water crisis and the high cost of chemicals and fertilizers. Lilium bulbs (Lilium OT Hybrid cv. ‘‘Zambesi’’) were grown in aeroponic (centrifugal) and ultrasonic ...
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This study aimed to optimize an efficient nutrient system to produce cut Lilium flowers while considering the recent severe water crisis and the high cost of chemicals and fertilizers. Lilium bulbs (Lilium OT Hybrid cv. ‘‘Zambesi’’) were grown in aeroponic (centrifugal) and ultrasonic systems with variable pulse periods. An ultrasonic system (on/off) time in seconds was considered 10/10, 15/5, and 20/0. An aeroponic system was 3/27, 6/24, and 9/21 in seconds. A modified Hoagland nutrient solution was applied, and plants were grown to the flowering stage. Then, plant morpho-physiological responses were evaluated under different systems and operation times. The growth rate in the vegetative stage and plant height were higher in the aeroponic compared to the ultrasonic system, but the effect of pulses was not significant. Thehighest reproductive growth occurred in 10 and 20% pulses of the aeroponic system. Maximum root length was obtained in 10% of the aeroponic system operation. Maximum but unserious bulb rot was observed in 10% of the aeroponic systems compared to the others. Overall, 10% of the aeroponic system operation was recommendable for Lilium cultivation. Considerably, water consumption was less than half in the ultrasonic system compared to the aeroponic system. Also, the quantum performance of PSII decreased in the time performance by 50%, but it showed better results than the other pulses in the ultrasonic system. The findings reveal that the low water need in the ultrasonicsystem is a promising achievement. Thus, we recommended performing additional experiments with different pulses and even frequencies to achieve better performances in this system.
Mohammadmahdi Jowkar; Nader Hassanzadeh; Mohsen Kafi; Ahmad Khalighi
Abstract
Disturbance in water relations is the major causes of vase life reduction and senescence in cut flowers This problem is mainly due to microorganism proliferation in the vase solution which leads to vascular occlusion and reduction in solution uptake by cut flowers. Therefore a comprehensive study was ...
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Disturbance in water relations is the major causes of vase life reduction and senescence in cut flowers This problem is mainly due to microorganism proliferation in the vase solution which leads to vascular occlusion and reduction in solution uptake by cut flowers. Therefore a comprehensive study was conducted to evaluate the biocidal effect of nano silver particles (NSP) and compare it with some previously applied biocides. Roses (cv. Cherry Brandy) were treated in a completely randomized design with: colloid of NSP, citric acid, aluminum sulfate, hydroxyquinoline citrate (HQC), calcium hypochlorite, sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), tap water, or sterilized distilled water as vase water or solution. Longest vase life was observed in flowers treated with nano silver particles, aluminum sulphate and citric acid, respectively. Nano silver particles, HQC and calcium hypochlorite were the most effective treatments in controlling microbial population followed by aluminum sulfate as the second effective treatment. Nano silver particles, HQC and calcium hypochlorite completely inhibited the microbial growth during the first six days of experiment. Moreover, aluminum sulfate retarded microbial growth, proliferation and growth rate more efficiently than others. Each treatment allowed proliferation of a specific microbe. In general, two yeasts, six fungi, and 26 bacterial colonies were isolated from different vase solutions. Among the isolated fungi, one isolate was Trichoderma harzianum and the five other were different strains of Fusarium solani. Identified bacterial isolates were Bacillus sp., Coccus spp., Streptomyces sp., Pectobacterium sp., Burkholderia sp., and Pseudomonas sp. Bacillus was the most wide spread microorganism in most treatments. Identified Bacillus sp. isolates were B. polymexa, B. subtilis, B. megaterium and B. circulans. Since nano silver significantly improved vase life and effectively controlled microbial proliferation in vase solution, our results suggest that nano silver application could be considered as a biocidal preservative solution for rose cut flowers.