Abstract:
The performance of five varieties of gladiolus was evaluated in two seasons. The
varieties differed significantly with respect to the vegetal!ve characters, duration, spike characters,
vase characters as well as corm and cormel yield in both the seasons. American Beauty excelled
the other varieties in all the vegetative characters studied, in both the seasons. Blooming period
was also more in this variety. In general, American Beauty and Friendship were superior in floral
characters whereas Agnirekha and Mansoer Red exhibited the longest vase life. True Yellow,
produced heavy comns. November planting was found to be better than April planting, in order
to obtain quality spikes as well as good corm and cormel yield in gladiolus, under Kerala
conditions.
