Influences of Some Essential Oils on Vase-Life of Gladiolus hybrida

l. Spikes Mahmoud A. Hegazi1*and El-Kot GAN 2

Dept. Hort. Floriculture, 2 Dept. Agric. Botany (Plant Pathology), Fac. Agric., Kafr El-Sheikh University, Egypt.

Corresponding Author*

Accepted: June 30, 2009

Abstract :

Essential oils of clove, cinnamon, ginger, marjoram and fennel were evaluated against microorganisms grown in preservative solution of Gladiolus hybrida cv. Peter pears spikes compared with AgNO3 at 10 ppm and distilled water. The essential oils were used as additives to preservative solution at 500 ppm. Data showed that, using essential oils in preservative solution significantly decreased the microbial density, spike base rot and deteriorated florets and increased spikes vase-life. The highest number of open florets and spikes water uptake was recorded when AgNO3 and fennel oil were added to preservative solution as compared with control. Although some essential oils i.e. clove and fennel surpassed AgNO3 in some characters, AgNO3 prolonged the flower longevity in vase more than all essential oils. Keywords: Gladiolus hybrida, essential oils, Biocontrol, vase-life