Lanthanum Prolongs Vase Life of Cut Tulip Flowers by Increasing Water Consumption and Concentrations of Sugars, Proteins and Chlorophylls

We evaluated the effect of separately adding two sources of lanthanum (La), LaCl3 and La(NO3)(3) x 6H(2)O at a concentration of 40 mu M each, to the preservative solution of 15 cut tulip flower varieties. Ascorbic acid (AsA; 0.2g/L) was used as a reference solution, while distilled water was used as control. The variety Laura Fygi recorded the longest vase life with 13 days. The highest water consumption per gram of stem fresh biomass weight (FBW) (2.5mL) was observed in the variety Violet Beauty, whereas the lowest (1.098mL) was recorded in Pink Impression. At the end of the vase life period, higher concentrations of total soluble sugars in petals and total soluble proteins in leaves were recorded in La-treated stems, compared to the AsA treatment and the control. Additionally, La(NO3)(3) x 6H(2)O supply increased the fresh weight of stems in vase and prolonged vase life. Moreover, this treatment resulted in the highest foliar concentration of chlorophylls at the end of vase life. Therefore, La increases tulip flower vase life as a consequence of improving the concentrations of some vital biomolecules.