Determining Optimum EC Levels and Elements for Extended Vase Life of Cut Rosa ‘Freedom', ‘Charlotte', and ‘Classy'

·Cut Rosa L. ‘Freedom’, ‘Charlotte’, and ‘Classy’ stems were subjected to solutions of various EC levels created by adding NaCl, Na₂SO₄, or CaCl₂ to either distilled water or distilled water plus a commercial floral preservative.  When ‘Freedom’ stems were subjected to 0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0 dS·m^-1 from NaCl added to distilled water, the longest vase life occurred with 0.5 dS·m^-1.  The addition of floral preservatives to the vase solution not only extended the vase life, but also overcame negative effects of high EC, with maximum vase life occurring at 1.0 dS·m^-1. Furthermore, stems in preservative experienced significantly less bent neck and opened more fully than those in water.  Stems placed in water with a preservative also experience more bluing, brown petals, rot, and loss of pigment, which was probably due to increased vase life.  As with NaCl, Na₂SO₄ and CaCl₂ produced a similarly long vase life at 1.0 dS·m^-1 and increasing EC decreased vase life.  As EC increased, regardless of salt type, water uptake increased up to a maximum of 1.0 dS·m^-1, then decreased.  Maximum vase life occurred at 1.0 dS·m^-1 for cut ‘Charlotte’ stems, but at 0.5 dS·m^-1 for ‘Classy’.  When cut ‘Freedom’ stems were subjected to distilled water solutions containing 0.1, 1, 10 or 100 mg·L^-1 B, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, or Zn, none of the solutions increased vase life and only 10 or 100 mg·L^-1 B and 100 mg·L^-1 Cu reduced vase life.  The addition of NaCl to reach 0.75 dS·m^-1 for all solutions increased vase life.  In solutions where both initial pH and EC varied, initial pH accounted for 30 to 54% of variation in vase life (average 44%) and initial EC accounted for 18 to 48% of variation (average 36%).