Flower Color Changes during Developmental Stages in Gerbera Cultivars

Understanding the patterns of color changes in flowers and ornamental plants will be useful in breeding programs for production of novel and in demand cultivars. In this study, flower color changes and interaction of parameters affecting color were investigated and compared during three developmental stages and coloration of flowers in six cultivars of gerbera. Results showed that in different cultivars, flavonoids biosynthesis is started very earlier than flower blooming stage and prior to bud formation. Two types of anthocyanidins pigments; cyanidin and pelargonidin were also analyzed. Results showed that in all cultivars except in ‘Bastion’, ‘Double Dutch’ and ‘Eco’ cultivars that lacked pelargonidin pigment, cyanidins and pelargonidins were increased correspondingly to petal tissue evolution, but their ratio varied in different cultivars and during different flower developmental stages.