Promoted growth and improved quality of Gerbera jamesonni L. flowers using exogenous application of amino acids

Commercially available amino acids mixtures have several advantages such as enhancing assimilation of fertilizer, facilitating uptake of water and nutrients and improving photosynthesis of plants. To investigate the response of gerbera (Gerbera jamesonni L.) flowers ‘Saltino’ to foliar application of a mixture of 19 essential amino acids (0.25, 0.50 and 0.75 mg L-1) and ammonium nitrate (200 mg L-1) as nitrogen source, a pot experiment was carried out in the research greenhouse of Eram Botanical Garden of Shiraz University. Number of flowers, flower diameter, stems length, chlorophyll, proline, protein and nitrogen contents, photosynthesis rate, stomatal conductance, and vase life of flowers were significantly improved by amino acids treatments. No significant difference was observed between ammonium nitrate and amino acids mixture for flower fresh and dry weights. Results suggested that application of amino acids mixture can induce acetyl CoA, which plays an improvingrole in physiological processes in plants. Application of amino acids mixture as a promising and sustainable approach can be recommended to promote quality and quantity of gerbera flowers.