Journal of Applied Horticulture. 2002: 4(2): 87-89

Effects of number of days between flowering and corm lifting on the performance of forthcoming summer season crop in gladiolus

Singh, K P; Ramchandran

Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessaraghatta Lake Post, Bangalore - 560 089, India.

The effects of the number of days between flowering and corm harvesting on the performance of crops produced from harvested corms were studied in Hessaraghatta, Bangalore, Karnataka, India. Corms of gladiolus cv. Pink Friendship were harvested at 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105, 120 or 135 days after flowering (DAF). Plants grown from corms harvested at 45 and 60 DAF were the tallest (94.13 and 94.9 cm). Harvesting of corms at 45, 60, 75, 90 and 105 DAF resulted in the greatest number of leaves per plant (8.78, 8,83, 8.65, 8.29 and 8.46) and leaf breadth (3.40, 3.63, 3.43, 3.33 and 3.48 cm). Scape width was greatest in plants produced from corms harvested at 45 (2.99 cm), 60 (3.08 cm) and 75 DAF (2.85 cm). Harvesting of corms at 60 DAF resulted in the greatest floret diameter (12.92 cm), spike length (86.26 cm), rachis length (45.99 cm), and number of florets per spike (13.87), and in the lowest incidence of corm rot (23.78%). Corms harvested at 45 and 60 DAF were superior in terms vegetative growth, flower production, and corm yield and quality; thus, these corms are recommended for the production of gladiolus cv. Pink Friendship under Bangalore conditions.