Effect of foliar application of zinc and iron on yield, content and uptake of gladiolus grown on vertisol

A field experiment was conducted at College Garden, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Nagpur during rabi season 2013–14. The experiment was laid out in FRBD with three replication. The experiment consistent four levels of both zinc and iron viz. Zn₀ -l (water spray) Zn₁ - 0.5%, Zn₂ - 1.0%, Zn₃ -1.5%, and Fe₀ - (water spray), Fe₁ 0.5%, Fe₂ - 1.0% and Fe₃ - 1.5%. The result obtained in the present experiment, it was seen that the application of zinc @ 1.0% and iron @ 1.0% improve the yield, quality, content and uptake of N, P, K, Zn and Fe of gladiolus flower and plant, ultimately increases yield of gladiolus.. Among the nutrient content in plant and flower the application of zinc level @ 1.0% significantly increased the total content of plant N (1.962%), P (0.314%), K (2.74%), Zn (9.47%) and Fe (11.52%) followed by Zinc @ 1.5% (1.806% N, 0.284% P, 2.27% K, 9.28% Zn and 11.14% Fe) over the Z1F1 and control. Among the uptake of plant and flower the application of zinc @ 1.0% significantly increased the uptake of N (69.28 kgha⁻¹), P (56.22 kg ha⁻¹, K (92.787 kg ha⁻¹), Zn (16.00 kg ha⁻¹) and Fe (19.77 kg ha⁻¹) followed by zinc @1.5% (61.6 kg ha⁻¹N, 53.51 kg ha⁻¹P, 91.965 kg ha⁻¹K, 15.47 kg ha⁻¹Zn, and (19.03 kg ha⁻¹Fe and over the Z₁F₁ and control.