Influence on the performance of selected gladiolus varieties

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.