Since one of the important factors in reducing the lifespan and increasing the losses of cut flowers is the disruption of the water relations of flowers due to the growth and increase in the bacterial population of the cut flower preservative solution, this research was conducted in two parts: post-harvest physiology of cut rose and microbiology of the vase solution in order to find a suitable and inexpensive combination to control the microbial population of the vase preservative solution of cut rose cultivar Setareh Ghobbi in a completely randomized statistical design with 10 treatments in 9 replications. The treatments used in this study included: aluminum sulfate (200, 400, and 600 mg/L), hydroxyquinoline citrate (200, 300, and 400 mg/L), calcium hypochlorite (400, 600, and 800 mg/L), and sterilized distilled water as a control. In the first part, post-harvest physiological indices such as vase life, side effects, changes in fresh weight, and vase solution absorption rate were investigated. In the second part, microbiological indices of vase solution such as microbial count, microbial growth, and type of microorganisms in vase solution were studied. The results of the post-harvest physiology section indicated the favorable effect of aluminum sulfate on vase life and post-harvest quality of cut rose of the Polar Star rose. In a way, the longest vase life of 11.67 days was observed in flowers treated with 200 mg/L of aluminum sulfate. The greatest increase and the least decrease in the fresh weight of flower branches as well as the highest absorption of vase solution were also observed in the aluminum sulfate treatment group. While hydroxyquinoline citrate was the most effective compound in controlling the microbial population of the vase solution. Most of the microorganisms found in the vase solution of this experiment were species of Bacillus, Coccus and Streptomyces. The most suitable compound for the vase solution of cut rose cultivar Star of the North Star, considering the maximum vase life, the favorable effect on physiological characteristics after harvest and the appropriate control of microbial growth, was the concentration of 200 mg/L of aluminum sulfate.
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