R. Wang - School of Urban and Environmental Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China.
X. Zheng - School of Urban and Environmental Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China.
X. Xu - School of Urban and Environmental Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, People’s Republic of China.

The aim of this paper was to assess the effect of catechol (CH), as a peroxidase inhibitor, and ۸-hydroxyquinoline citrate (HQC), as a bacterial inhibitor, on keeping the quality of Gerbera Jamesonii cv. Hongyan cut flowers, known to be limited by vascular occlusion. Blockage in the stem xylem vessels of cut gerbera was studied using light and scanning electron microscope. The results showed that some stem xylem vessels of the cut flowers were blocked during the vase period, and the blockage consisted of some amorphous or physiological deposition and rod-shaped bacteria located within the ۵cm stem end of the cut flower. In addition, CH (۱.۰mM) or ۸-HQC (۰.۴۵mM) decreased the blockage of stems and reduced the bacterial growth in the vase solution, but extended the vase life without statistical significance. The combination of CH (۰.۵ or ۱.۰ mM) and ۸-HQC (۰.۴۵mM) decreased the blockage and inhibited the bacteria more than CH or ۸-HQC alone, and extended the vase life significantly (P≤ ۰.۰۵).

Cut flowers, Catechol, Gerbera jamesonii, Bacterium inhibitor, Vase life, Xylem blockage