Evaluation of gladiolus hybrids for cut -flower production under transitional tract of Karnataka

The present investigation was carriedout with 18 hybrids and two local checks of Gladiolus hybridus at Floriculture unit, Department of Horticulture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during kharif season 2003-2004 to study their performance and their suitability for cut flower production.

Looking to the overall performance of the hybrids, ‘AB’ x ‘MC’ ‘M’ x ‘HVG’ ‘SP’ x ‘TS’ ‘MC’ x ‘HVG’ and ‘MC’ x AB' were found to be good for cut flower production under transitional tract of northern Karnataka. The hybrids ‘AB’ x 'MC, ‘SP’ x ‘TS’ ‘M’ x ‘HVG’ ‘S’ x ‘TS’ were also found to be good multipliers for corms and cormels. Whereas the hybrids ‘M’ x ‘AB’ and ‘SP’ x ‘AB’ had the maximum vase life. Superiority of some outstanding hybrids with respect to several parameters over check variety ‘AB’ were ‘AB’ x ‘MC’ ‘AB’ x ‘M’ ‘M’ x ‘HVG’ ‘SP’ x ‘TS’ ‘SP’ x ‘HVG’ ‘MC’ x ‘AB’ and ‘MC’ x ‘HVG’ Similarly over ‘M’ as check variety were ‘AB’ x ‘MC’, 'MC x ‘HVG’ ‘MC’ x ‘AB’, ‘M’ x ‘HVG’ and ‘SP’ x ‘TS’. Spike length showed a significant positive correlation with average weight of corm (planted), plant height, number of florets per spike, weight of spike, number of cormels per plant, weight of daughter corm and daughter corm size at both phenotypic and genotypic levels.