Effect of Growth Medium and Calcium Nano-Fertilizer on Quality and Some Characteristics of Gerbera Cut Flower

In order to evaluate the effect of medium and spraying calcium nano-fertilizer on quality of cut gerbera flowers, an experiment was conducted as factorial in completely randomized design with 7 media and 3 calcium nano-fertilizer concentrations with 3 replications. The media included cocopeat + perlite (1:1), peat moss + perlite (1:1), mushroom compost + perlite (1:1), peat moss + cocopeat + perlite (1:1:2), mushroom compost + peat moss + perlite (1:1:2), mushroom compost + cocopeat + perlite (1:1:2) and mushroom compost alone. The concentrations of calcium nano-fertilizer were 0, 1 and 2 mgL-1. Results demonstrated that different media had significant influence on flower diameter, neck flower diameter and vase life. The highest diameter of flower and neck flower were observed in peat + perlite (1:1), the highest flower fresh weight in cocopeat + mushroom compost + perlite (1:1:2) and the greatest vase life in peat + cocopeat + perlite (1:1:2) media. Calcium nano-fertilizer had a significant effect on vase life and flower quality, so that vase life was increased by enhancing the concentration of calcium nano-fertilizer. In interactions between medium and nano-calcium fertilizer, the highest flower number was observed in peat + mushroom compost + perlite (1:1:2) medium without nano-calcium fertilizer, and the greatest anthocyanin was related to peat + cocopeat + perlite (1:1:2) medium without nano-calcium fertilizer. There was no significant interaction in other traits.