Rose vase life and water relations in response to rootstock type

Abstract EN

Three cut flower rose varieties "First Red, Vesilia, and Virginia" grafted to three different rootstocks "Rosa indica, Rosa canina, and Natal Briar" and own rooted cuttings, were studied during the season of 1999, for their post-harvest life, on the basis of fresh weight, dry weight, and water relations.

Rose varieties grafted to the rootstocks "Rosa indica, Rosa canina, and Natal Briar" gave cut flowers with longer post-harvest life, with a significant superiority for the latter one plant combinations, compared to the flowers from the cutting plants.

Cut rose flower's post-harvest life correlated to the water balance more than to the dry weight percentage change in 9 days.

The more the water balance (better water retention), shown by the flowers, the longer the vase life obtained.

Flowers from grafted plants showed more water uptake, less water loss, higher water balance and consequently longer post-harvest life (days from cut to senescence, at the time appearance of bent-neck or wilting of outer petals) is recorded.