Effect of Silicon on Quality and Quantity of Cut Roses (Rosa xhybrida ‘Hot Lady’) Under Salt Stress Conditions

To investigate the role of Silicon (Si) in alleviating the effects of salinity on quality and quantity of cut rose flowers ‘Hot Lady’cultivar was grown in hydroponic culture media. Different levels of silicon (0, 50, 100 and 150 mg L-1) as Si were mixed with 28 mM NaCl (EC ≈3.8 dS m-1) levels, used in an RCBD experimental design.The results indicated that Si in 50 and 100 mg L-1 had beneficial effects on growth and quality of cut roses and also could alleviate the deleterious effects of salt stress on storage life and quality of cut flowers by decreasing electrolyte leakage percentage. K, Ca and P absorption increased and Na decreased in leaf and shoot of Si received plants. However, 150 mg L-1 Si with or without NaCl couldn’t affect all of measured traits. This finding indicated that the stimulation of the vegetative growth of roses by Si under salinity conditions was due to mitigation of toxic Na or Si effects on cell wall and ion distribution in treated plants.