Hassan Bayat - Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, PO Box ۹۱۷۷۵-۱۱۶۳ Mashhad, Iran
Reza Geimadil - Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, PO Box ۹۱۷۷۵-۱۱۶۳ Mashhad, Iran
Ali Abdollahi Saadabad - Department of Horticultural Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

Lisianthus (Eustoma grandiflorum cv. ‘Mriachii Blue’) is one of the most important and marketable cut flowers in the world. However, a relatively limited vase life reduces its marketability. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of essential oils in extending vase life of cut flowers of Lisianthus. For this purpose a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized design with Zataria multiflora and Echinophora platyloba essential oils at (۰, ۱۰۰, ۲۰۰ ppm) with ۳ replications, was conducted. The results showed that addition of essential oils to vase solutions increased vase life, petal water content, leaf relative water content and SPAD value, significantly. The highest vase life (۱۴.۵ days) was observed in the vase solution containing ۲۰۰ ppm E. platyloba plus ۱۰۰ ppm Z. multiflora essential oils with ۹۵% increase as compared to the control. All essential oil treatments resulted in higher relative fresh weight as compared to the control; however the highest relative fresh weight was observed in cut flowers treated with E. platyloba essential oil at ۲۰۰ ppm with ۵۴% increase over the control. It can be safely concluded that essential oils as natural, safe and biodegradable compounds are suitable alternatives to conventional chemical treatments in order to prolong vase life of cut flowers of Lisianthus.

Essential oils, Medicinal plants, postharvest, Relative fresh weight, Vase life, Lisianthus