EFFECT OF ESSENTIAL OILS AND GERMICIDES ON THE VASE LIFE OF CARNATION (DIANTHUS CARYOPHYLLUS L.) CUT FLOWERS

Abstract

Natural preservatives such as herbal essential oils have the ability to extend the life of fresh-cut flower pots after harvest. The effect of clove oil, lavender oil and thyme oil, especially when combined with antimicrobial agents such as 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate and silver nitrate, on vase life and post-harvest value of carnations picked after harvest, was studied. The results showed that the use of different preservative solutions consisting of clove, lavender and thyme oils mixed with silver nitrate and 8-hydroxyquinoline sulfate has a significant effect on the characteristics of cloves. The study confirmed that the effect between clove essential oil and silver nitrate was significant for most of the traits. The highest percentage of those studied traits were when carnation flowers were treated with 200 mg l-1 clove essential oil and 30 mg l-1 of silver nitrate.