Physiological aspects of flowering, vase life and dormancy in gladiolus: Effects of chemicals and growth regulators
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Date
2008-05
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G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar - 263145 (Uttarakhand)
Abstract
The present study was conducted in the Floriculture Center and the Plant Physiology Department of G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand, to elucidate the Physiological aspects of flowering, vase life and dormancy in gladiolus as affected by chemicals and growth regulators. The experiment was laid out in two factorial randomized block design with plant growth regulators GA3, IAA, BAP, Ethrel and the polyamine (spermidine) were sprayed at 45 days after planting, while KNO3 was applied twice, at 45 and 60 DAP @ 20 g/m2 in the experimental field. Morphological parameters such as plant height, leaf number per plant and floral characteristics such as spike length, rachis length and number of flowers per spikes and physiological parameters such as dry weight of shoot, inflorescence and corm and relative water content were measured at different growth stage in gladiolus. Among all the above treatments, application of GA3 alone @ 100 or 200 ppm or in combination with KNO3 (20 g/m2, applied twice) were more effective for improving plant growth, flower quality and corms and cormels production. Vase life of cut flowers was enhanced by supplementing sucrose and antimicrobial agents in the vase solution. In the present study sucrose (2-4%) or Al2 (SO4) 3 (100, 500 and 1000 ppm) alone or in combination, BA (25, 50 and 100 ppm) or AgNO3 (100 and 500 ppm) were supplemented in the vase solution for improving the post harvest life of gladiolus. Among all the treatments, Al2 (SO4) 3 and sucrose (2%) or sucrose alone (2-4%) were effective for improving the longevity as well as quality of flower. Al2 (SO4) 3 alone could also support longevity as well as quality of flower. Though BA and AgNO3 also improved the vase life, but their effect were inferior as compared to sucrose and Al2 (SO4) 3. Dormancy of freshly harvested gladiolus corms and cormels has been reported to be due to ABA and phenols present in the corms and scales. Both ABA and phenols content were decreased when stored at room temperature (25-300C for 75 days) or cold storage (4-50C for 75 days). Gibberellic acid, benzyl adenine, ethrel and thiourea were found to be effective in breaking dormancy of gladiolus corms. The effect of ethrel, thiourea and GA3 in breaking dormancy could be explained in terms of reduction of ABA and phenols and increases in the carbohydrate contents in the freshly harvested corms. Thus, the freshly harvested corms can be planted in the field to get an immediate crop following such dormancy breaking treatments.
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Thesis-PhD
Keywords
plant physiology, floriculture, flowering, vase life, dormancy, gladiolus, chemicals, growth regulators