The effect of gibberellic acid (GA3) and benzyladenine (BA) on the postharvest quality and vase life of gerbera cut-flowers was investigated. Freshly cut flower stems of gerbera cultivar 'Good Timing', with four outer disc florets open, were put in vases containing 0, 50, 100, 150, 200, or 300 mg L -1 GA3 and 0, 10, 25, 50, 100, or 150 mg L -1 of BA for 48 hr and then held in vases containing 2.5% ethanol and 3% sucrose. Vases were placed in chambers at 25 with a relative humidity about 70% and were arranged in a Completely Randomized Design with three replicates. Data were recorded for vase life, fresh weight, solution uptake, membrane stability, total soluble solid over time and analyzed statistically. GA3 50 mg L -1 and BA 50 mg L -1 were the most effective treatments on vase life, fresh weight, solution uptake, membrane stability and total soluble solids of gerbera cut flowers. Cytokinins and gibberelins have potential to enhance post harvest quality of cut gerbera flowers.Additional key words: benzyladenine, ethanol, gibberellic acid Hort.

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Summary Introduction: Peppermint (Mentha piperita L.), a member of Lamiaceae family, is an important medicinal plant that has many useful properties. Copper is an essential micronutrient for normal plant growth and metabolism. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of copper sulphate and copper nanoparticles on morpho-physiological traits and essential oil composition of peppermint. Methods: Seven treatments of copper sulphate and copper nanoparticles in three concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/l) and control were applied in foliar application three times of the interval of 15 days up to flowering stages of peppermint in Karaj, Iran in 2015. Results: Copper nanoparticles (1.0 g/l) increased chlorophyll content and essential oil percentage of 35% and 20% higher than control, respectively. The copper sulfate (0.5 g/l) increased dry matter yield up to 58% higher than control. The effects of treatments were significant on 17 out of 34 compositions. Copper nanoparticles (1.0 g/l) increased menthol, menthone and menthofuran content up to 15, 25 and 65% higher than in control, respectively. Conclusions: Foliar application of copper sulfate (0.5 g/l) and copper nanoparticles (1.0 g/l) in flowering stage were suggested for increase of dry matter production, essential oil content and composition, respectively.

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The effects of salicylic acid (SA), 8-Hydroxyquinoline sulfate (8-HQS), and sucrose on cut gerbera was studied. SA (0, 100 and 150 mg l-1), 8-HQS (0 and 200 mg l-1), and sucrose (0 and 30 g l-1) and their combinations were tested as preservative mixture. This study was conducted in a factorial experiment with complete randomized design. SA increased vase life and reduced stem curvature at the concentration of 100 mg L-1. SA at 150 mg L-1 increased mean absorbed preservative solution. 8-HQS increased vase life, dry weight, wet weight, flower diameter, mean absorbed preservative solution, and quality score. 8-HQS also decreased the stem curvature. Sucrose decreased vase life, flower diameter, and quality score, whereas increased dry weight. The treatment containing 8-HQS (200 mg L-1) had vase life of 12.9 days which was not significantly different from the combination of SA (100 mg L-1) + 8-HQS (200 mg L-1)which resulted in the longest vase life of 15.6 days. The results show that SA could increase vase life in combination with 8-HQS.