Performance Of Gladiolus Under Protected Cultivation In The Rainy Season

Abstract

An investigation was conducted with a view to observing the performance of two gladiolus genotypes during the rainy summer under poly tunnel production system. The genotype GL-027 produced taller plants (73.8 cm) with longer spike (97.2 cm) and longer rachis (51.7 cm) compared to the genotype GL-023. In respect of spike length (97.0 cm), rachis length (54.4 cm), weight of corm per plant (16.0g) and weight of cormel per plant (30.3 g), 1 July planting was better than in 1 May planting. Plants grown under poly tunnel produced flower earlier (82.5 days) compared to plants grown without poly tunnel (84.6 days). Although difference of only two days in flower initiation is of no significance, but plants grown under poly tunnel performed better in respect of number of florets per spike (12.8), number of cormels per plant (8.2), weight of corm per plant (16.0 g) and weight of cormels per plant (30.6 g) than the plants grown without poly tunnel.

Keywords: Gladiolus; protected cultivation; rainy season.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v36i2.9256

BJAR 2011; 36(2): 285-290