The Interactive Effect of Sodium Benzoate and Ethanol on the Vase Life of Cut Roses cv. ‘Avalanche’

The vase life of cut roses is decreased by ethylene and water stress. Ethanol and sodium benzoate are among the antimicrobial and anti-ethylene compounds that are applied to vase solutions. This research investigated the effect of different rates of ethanol (0, 2, 4, and 6 %) and sodium benzoate (0, 150, 200, and 250 mg l-1) on the vase life of cut roses cv. ‘Avalanche’ in a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with 16 treatments and 3 replications. The experimental treatments were applied as a 24-hour pulse. Distilled water was used as the control. The results showed the significant interactive effect of “ethanol × sodium benzoate” on improving vase life and other studied traits. The longest vase life (13 days), water uptake (3.54 ml g-1 F.W.), dry matter (44.38 %), petal protein (35.08 %), and total chlorophyll (13.09 mg g-1 F.W.) were obtained from the application of “ethanol 4% × 150 mg l-1 sodium benzoate”. This treatment also exhibited the lowest fresh weight loss (1.98%), stem-end bacteria population (8.33 Log10 CFU ml), vase solution bacteria population (23.33 Log10 CFU ml), and ethylene synthesis (0.4 nl l-1 h-1 g-1 F.W.). According to the results, it is recommended to apply “ethanol 4 % × 150 mg l-1 sodium benzoate” to preserve the quality and extend the vase life of cut roses cv. ‘Avalanche’.