Abstract
A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive years to study the influence of pre-harvest
micro-nutrient foliar sprays on post-harvest keeping quality of gladiolus using the post-harvest vase
chemicals. The experiment comprised pre-harvest micronutrient foliar sprays of FeSO4 (0%, 0.5%,
0.75%, 1%) and ZnSO4 (0%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75%) with 16 treatment combinations sprayed at 3rd and
6th leaf stage of the crop. Various post-harvest vase chemicals used were NaOCl 25 ppm, 50 ppm and
100 ppm, STS 100 ppm, Al2(SO4)-3 400 ppm and a combination of these vase chemicals. Sucrose was
added as a source of base material in all the vase chemical treatments. Pre-harvest spraying of FeSO4
0.75% or 1% along with ZnSO4 0.5% was found promising in delaying the days taken for basal floret
opening and number of floret opening at a time. Pre-harvest spraying of these micro-nutrients and
dipping the cut ends of gladiolus spikes in vase solution of sucrose 2% + NaOCl 50 or 100 ppm,
sucrose 2% + STS 50 or 100 ppm or Al2(SO4)-3 400 ppm significantly influenced in extending the days
taken for basal flower opening and number of flowers opening at a time.