Effect of planting time and spacing on growth, flowering and spike yield of gladiolus

Abstract

An investigation was conducted at the Horticulture Research Farm, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University (A Central University), Vidya-vihar, Rae Bareli Road, Lucknow - 226025 (U.P.) to study the impact of spacing and time of planting on growth, flowering and corm production of gladiolus (Gladiolus grandifloras L. 'Aldebaran'). The experiment consisted of 16 treatments laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. Corms were sown in different times (November 5, 15, 25 and December 5) and different spacing at 20×30, 20×20, 30×30, 30×40 cm spacing. The study showed that better improvement in vegetative growth and floral characters was observed in treatment S2D1 i.e., when the gladiolus corms are planted on November 15 and at 30×30 cm spacing. It was also observed that corm and cormels weight, number of corm and cormels were significantly varied in spacing and time of planting and it was best under S2D1 i.e., 30×30 cm spacing and November 15 planting. It is concluded that gladiolus corm ('Aldebaran') planted on November 15 (D1) and at 30×30 cm spacing (S2) performed better and showed higher corm production as well as good flower characteristics under Lucknow condition.