Mobility and effects on vase life of silver-containing compounds in cut rose flowers

The effects of silver-containing compounds used for prolonging the vase life of cut rose (Rosa hybrida L. 'Asami Red') flowers were investigated. Silver nitrate and Ag+tris (a ribonucleic acid-silver complex and trishydroxymethylaminomethane) increased the vase life by 2.7 days and prevented bent neck of cut rose flowers compared with the control, whereas silver thiosulfate (STS) did not have a significant effect on longevity. Fresh weights of the rose stems pretreated with silver nitrate or RNA-Ag+tris were maintained along with longer vase life. There were higher amounts of Ag+ in the basal parts of the stem in these treatments compared with STS treatment, Bacterial count at the cut surface of stems treated with either silver nitrate or RNA-Ag+tris were lower than STS-treated or control stems. These results indicated that the primary effect of silver-containing compounds on 'Asami Red' roses was antimicrobial.