Evaluation of Gladiolus Varieties for Economically Important Characters

The present experiment was carried out to evaluate fifteen varieties of gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus Hort.) for different morphological parameters during the year 2019-2020. Analysis of variance revealed wide and significant variations for most of the characters. The variety Praha took minimum days to sprouting of corm (5.17 days). Minimum days to spike emergence (66.67 days) and opening of first floret (86.21 days) were recorded in variety Gunjan. Plant height was recorded maximum in variety Shabnam (105.47 cm), whereas spike length (89.93 cm) and rachis length (55.64 cm) was found maximum in Essley Blue. Maximum floret size was found in variety Essley Blue (9.82 cm). Number of florets opened at one time was found maximum in variety Nova Lux (8.47). Shabnam showed maximum duration of flowering (17.98 days) and number of florets per spike (14.22). Suchitra recorded maximum vase life of 17.33 days. Maximum number of corms per plant was found in variety Viola (2.27). Corm diameter (6.77cm) and corm weight (100.00 g) was recorded maximum in the variety Praha. However, number of cormels per plant (41.97) and weight of cormels per plant (13.42g) was found maximum in variety Essley Blue.