Utilization of native microbial isolates for sodic soil as commercial bio-regulators to increase yield and vase-life of gladiolus

A study was conducted to determine the influence of endophytes along with other commercial nutrient mixtures on enhancing growth and improving vase-life of gladiolus. A field experiment was performed over the two successive years 2009 and 2010. The recommended dose of fertilizers was added and the treatment with regulators and their combinations were imposed during the critical stages of the crop. The commercial nutrient mixtures of Hi-Media Chemicals, India (HMN^®), Biovita^® and a bacterial strain CSR-B-1 from Baccillus isolated from sodic soils of Rae Bareli district, Uttar Pradesh was imposed as treatments and combinations. The results revealed that the bacterial strain CSR-B-1 alone and in combination with HMN significantly increased plant height, number of leaves/plant, spike length, number of cormlets, fresh and dry weight of cormlets and also the vase-life of the cut flower. The incremental effects on plants height, leaf number and leaf area were 32.32, 25.00 and 9.00%, respectively, while 13.00, 45.18 and 56.83% increment was noticed on number of plant, spike length and weight of spike, respectively as compared to control plants in both seasons. The role of bio-chemicals and enzyme like superoxide dismutase (SOD), phenyl alanine lyase (PAL) activities and phenols were also assessed and were attributed for increasing shelf-life and quality of the cut flowers.