The Effects of Bacteria in Vase Water on the Vase Life of Cut Gerbera Cultivars

A factor that shortens the vase life of cut gerbera was investigated. When cut ‘Minou’ gerbera flowers were placed in water with a relatively high bacterial concentration, the vase life was markedly shortened. An experiment using vase water of cut ‘Picture Perfect’ and ‘Pinta’ revealed a correlation between the turbidity and bacterial number, suggesting that an increase in the turbidity of vase water is attributable to bacterial proliferation. There were differences among seven cultivars in the turbidity of vase water. Treatment with an isothiazolinonic germicide markedly extended the vase life of some cultivars, such as ‘Picture Perfect’, in which the turbidity of vase water was relatively high. In cut ‘Minou’, turbidity of vase water increased with time, and treatment with the germicide almost completely suppressed this increase. Treatment with the germicide increased water uptake of cut flowers and suppressed any decrease in the fresh weight. These results suggest that there is variation among cultivars in the turbidity of vase water, which is closely associated with the vase life of cut gerbera.