Effect of Postharvest Salicylic Acid Treatment on Physico-chemical Attributes and Vase-life of Rose (Rosa hybrida cv. Hater Class) Cut Flowers

Roses are one of the most important ornamental plants in which the short vase life of cut flowers and postharvest problems cause loss of their quality and marketability. To gain the benefits of natural and safe chemicals towards better vase life and quality, current study was conducted to investigate the effect of salicylic acid (SA) in four doses (0 (control), 50, 100, 200 µM) on postharvest indices of rose cut flowers cv. Hater Class. The results showed that SA had a significant effect (1%) on vase life, total chlorophyll content, relative solution uptake, fresh weight reduction, ion leakage, neck bent, developmental stages, flower diameter and catalase and peroxidase activity compared to the control. Postharvest SA application prolonged vase life in cut rose flowers by increasing antioxidant capacity related to increased activity of catalase and peroxidase, and relative solution uptake as well as decreasing fresh weight reduction and ion leakage reduction compared to the control.