The effect of aluminum sulfate and re-cutting of branches on shelf life and quality of cut roses of Warlon variety

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of aluminum sulfate in preservative solution along with re-cutting of branches on the shelf life of cut rose flower cultivar Varlon in the Horticulture Department of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan. cut rose flower were harvested from two-year-old mother plants and treated with aluminum sulfate solution at concentrations (0, 100, 150, and 200 mg/L) and re-cutting of branches at 2 levels (re-cutting and without cutting). During the experiment, the shelf life traits, chlorophyll a, b and total chlorophyll, water absorption, relative water content, total protein, peroxidase and catalase enzyme activities were measured in petals. The results showed that the levels of aluminum sulfate had a significant effect on the traits of chlorophyll a, total chlorophyll and antioxidant enzyme activities at the 1% level and on the shelf life traits, chlorophyll a and relative water content at the 5% level. Also, the levels of branch re-cutting showed a significant effect on the traits of shelf life, chlorophyll content, water absorption, relative water content, total protein, and antioxidant enzyme activity at the 1% level. The interaction effect of aluminum sulfate and branch re-cutting was also significant on the traits of chlorophyll b and the activities of peroxidase and catalase enzymes at the 1% level, and on the traits of shelf life, total chlorophyll, and relative water content at the 5% level. Therefore, the treatments had a significant effect directly or indirectly on the measured traits and caused a decrease in senescence and an increase in the shelf life and quality of flowers.