1Division of Floriculture and Landscaping, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi-110012. e-mail: naveen_iari@yahoo.com.
2Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500 030, Andhra Pradesh
An experiment was conducted using the cormels of gladiolus cvs. Phule Prerna and Phule Ganesh in an attempt to induce flowering in the plants raised from cormels during 2004–2005. Two foliar sprays of chemicals viz., gibberellic acid (25 ppm), benzyl adenine (50 ppm), salicylic acid (100 ppm), potassium dihydrogen phosphate (1%), potassium nitrate (1%) and calcium nitrate (1%) were given twice at monthly interval. Salicylic acid and calcium nitrate recorded less number of days for flowering and highest flowering percentage. Spike length, number of florets per spike, size of second floret, number of corms and cormels per plot were maximum with salicylic acid. Gibberellic acid treatment significantly delayed flowering and also resulted in minimum flowering percentage. Flowering percentage was significantly high in cv. Phule Ganesh over cv. Phule Prerna. Cultivar Phule Ganesh was also found superior in respect of number of corms produced per plot but cv. Phule Prerna recorded maximum number of big and small cormels per plot.
Benzyl adenine, cormel, corm, gibberellic acid, gladiolus, potassium dihydrogen, salicylic acid, potassium dihydrogen ortho phosphate
