Effects of Silver Nanoparticles (SNPs) Pulsing Treatment and Sucrose Holding on Flower and Leaf Senescence of Cut Rose

This experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of silver nanoparticles pulsing treatment (0, 25, 75 and 125 mg L-1) on vase life and some postharvest physiological parameters of cut rose flower ?High & Magic? in sucrose solution (0, 2 and 3%). This research performed as a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with three replications under 23 ± 2 °C, 60 ± 5% RH and 12 µmol m-2 s-1 light intensity (cool white florescent tubes) under a daily light period of 12 h. Results showed that 125 mg L-1 silver nanoparticles without sucrose or with 2% sucrose had the lowest stem end bacteria. Pulse treatments with silver nanoparticles at all concentrations improved solution uptake, maintenance of the relative fresh weight, flower diameter and chlorophyll fluorescence ratio (Fv/Fm) as compared to control. The highest amount of flower opening with the largest flower diameter was observed in 75 mg L-1 pulsed silver nanoparticles with 2% sucrose solution on day 9 of vase period. Control flowers (deionized water) without or with 2% sucrose exhibited the shortest vase life. The concentrations of 75 and 125 mg L-1 with 2% sucrose or without it had the longest vase life as compared to other treatments.