EFFECT OF PRE PLANTING TREATMENT OF CORMS WITH CHEMICALS AND PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ON VEGETATIVE GROWTH, FLOWERING AND POST HARVEST LIFE IN GLADIOLUS

The effect of thiourea (TU), salicylic acid (SA), potassium nitrate (KNO3) and giberellic acid (GA3) with two corm soaking periods on growth, flowering and post harvest life of two gladiolus cultivars Darshan and Dhiraj was investigated during two consecutive years, 2008-09 and 2009-10. Cv. Darshan was early in flowering and performed better than the cv. Dhiraj with respect to vegetative and floral parameters. Pre-planting soaking of corms for 24 h improved vegetative and flowering attributes. SA 150 ppm followed by TU 2% was more effective in increasing vegetative growth and reducing number of days to flowering. SA 150 ppm followed by GA3 150 ppm were effective in improving flowering performance of gladiolus cultivars in terms of increasing number of spikes per plant, spike length and weight and number of florets per spike. Post harvest studies revealed that soaking of corms for 24 h recorded significantly less number of days to first floret opening. Pre-planting treatment of corms with SA 150 ppm recorded minimum days to first floret opening, maximum number of florets opened at a time per spike and vase life.