GERANIUM (Pelargonium graveolens) EXTRACT AND MECHANICAL TREATMENT IMPROVE WATER RELATION, ENZYME ACTIVITY AND LONGEVITY OF CUT CHRYSANTHEMUM (Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura) FLOWERS

Application of safe organic compounds for the environment is an important approach to increase the longevity of cut flowers. Essences and herbal extracts are compounds having antimicrobial properties, thereby increasing the post-harvest life of cut flowers. Mechanical treatments such as splitting in the stem end also increase longevity of cut flowers. Essences and extracts of geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) are biological compounds with antimicrobial and antioxidant properties that can be used as a vase solution. In this study, different concentrations of rose scented geranium extract and stem end slot were used to improve post-harvest life of cut chrysanthemum (Dendranthema grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura) flowers. The results showed that longevity of cut flowers treated in vase solution containing 100 mg l-1 rose scented geranium extract (18.43 days) with a slot of 5 cm at the stem end was significantly more than that of the control (8.11 days). Water status, microbial population in vase solution and stem end, ionic leakage, and enzymes activities were significantly different between treated cut flowers and control.