Evaluation of water relations in acclimatization of transformed rose (Rosa hybrida L.) to the ex-vitro with promising antifungal activity of thyme oil

Tissue culture is currently expanding in horticulture, agriculture and forestry in a global. Thistechnique involves establishment and maintenance of explants, then the in-vitro initial growth is followedby transplanting into the glasshouse or field. Regarding to the optimum in-vitro growth condition, aperiod of acclimation is necessary to prevent consequent environmental changing due to shootlettransplanting to the ex-vitro condition. The present work was aimed to investigate the mediaacclimatization of in-vitro transformed roses to the ex-vitro condition. For this purpose, based on ahydroponic system, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the suitable combination of different media(perlite, peat and vermicompost). Otherwise, to promote media efficiency; antifungal activities ofdifferent concentrations of thyme oils (0, 50 and 100 μl l-1) were assessed. This project was performed infactorial experiment in completely randomized design with five replications. Results showed thatcombination of different media and thyme during 21 days had significant effect on certain parameters ofwater relations (P<0.05). Results indicated that, relative water content, excised leaf water retention,relative water protective were highest and excised leaf water loss, leaf water loss and water loss werelowest in mixture of medium with peat, perlite and vermicompost (1: 1: 1; v/v/v) with 100 μl l-1 thymeoils. On the whole, scale water relations data indicated that peat, perlite and vermicompost as standardmedium with100 μl l-1 thyme during three weeks can represent a useful media of the state of waterbalance for transformed rose.