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After reading this article you will learn about gladiolus flower found in India.
It is a leading cut flower of India as well as of world. Gladiolus is very much liked for its majestic spikes which contain attractive, elegant and delicate florets. These florets open in sequence over longer duration and hence have a good keeping quality of cut spikes.
There is a wide range of colours i.e., self or bi-colour with or without central mark varying from white to darkest crimson. These spikes of gladiolus are mainly used for garden and interior decoration and for making bouquets.
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It belongs to the family Iridaceae and native of Africa and Asia Minor. It was introduced in India in 16-17th century by the Britishers and it has been naturalized in different parts of the country. First it was thought that only hilly tracts of the country were suitable but later on plains were also found suitable for growing it commercially.
Climate:
It can successfully be grown in wide range of climatic conditions and planting is to be adjusted in such a way that gladiolus crop enjoys favourable weather conditions throughout its growing, flowering, corm and cormel production period. The favourable of lowest temperature is about 16°C and higher temperature range is 25-30°C. There should not be rains especially during flowering period.
Gladiolus requires open sunny situation, therefore, site for planting should be selected carefully. The longer day length improves the spike quality. About 12 hour’s day length with high light intensities are preferred over short days with low light intensities. The site should also be well protected against strong winds by planting hedge or wind-break.
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Soil:
For growing gladiolus successfully well fertile and well-drained soil is better than heavier soils. The texture of heavy soils can be improved by mixing organic manure and sand for better production of gladiolus. The soil reaction should be around neutral. If it is acidic or alkaline, it should be corrected.
Varietal Wealth:
Gladiolus is very rich in its varietal wealth. The commercial life of a variety is about 10- 15 years. Every year new varieties are introduced which replace the old varieties. This is possible due to easy hybridization, high pollen fertility and good seed set and germination. Therefore, a gladiolus grower should keep constant vigil in the market for varietal changes. Before introduction of a new variety, grower should ensure its adaptability under local conditions.
On the basis of trials conducted at Punjab Agricultural University for the last several years, promising varieties have been found, are: Snow Princess, Melody, Sylvia, Suchitra, Mayur, Friendship, Pusa Suhagin, Jacksonville Gold, Sancerre, Rose Supreme, Yellow Stone.
The brief description of these varieties and other varieties is as follows:
(i) Melody:
It requires about 90-100 days for flowering; spike length 87 cm; florets 15 per spike; florets colour Peach with red throat; cormel production 67/plant.
(ii) Snow Princess:
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It requires about 80-90 days for flowering; spike length 65 cm; 11- 14 florets per spike; floret colour white with pale throat; cormel production 15 per plant.
(iii) Sylvia:
It requires about 120 days for flowering; spike length 75.5 cm; florets 13-15 per spike; colour claret rose; cormel production 15 per plant.
(iv) Suchitra:
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It requires about 74 days for flowering; spike length 84 cm; 17 flowers per spike; floret colour light pink with dark pink blotches; cormel production 98 per plant.
(v) Mayur:
It requires about 95 days for flowering; spike length 80 cm; 18 florets per spike; floret colour mauve with purple blotch; cormel production 112 per plant.
(vi) Friendship:
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It takes about 86 days for flowering; spike length 78 cm; 12 floret per spike; floret colour carmine rose with yellow throats; cormel production 15 per plant.
(vii) Jacksonville Gold:
It requires about 87 days for flowering; spike length 69 cm; 11 florets per spike; floret colour deep yellow; cormel production 37 per plant.
(viii) Happy End:
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It requires about 82 days for flowering; spike length 65 cm; 10 florets per spike; floret colour salmon carmine rose with yellow throat, cormel production 37 per plant.
(ix) Sancerre:
It takes about 85 days for flowering; spike length 94 cm; 19 florets per spike; floret colour snowy white; cormel production 48 per plant.
(x) Rose Supreme:
It takes about 103 days for flowering; spike length 93 cm; 15 florets per spike; floret colour light peach; cormel production 24 per plant.
(xi) Yellow Stone:
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It takes about 99 days for flowering; spike length 68 cm; 14 florets per spike; floret colour golden yellow and ruffled; cormel production 4 per plant.
(xii) White Prosperity:
Florets white in colour (white group 155 B), ruffled, spikes 90-110 cm long each with 18-20 florets, florets 9.5-10.5 cm in diameter. Cormel production about 30-40 per corm.
(xiii) True Yellow:
Florets yellow in colour; spikes stout, 100-110 cm long each with 13-15 florets; nearly 10-11 cm in diameter, ruffled, each corm produces about 8- 10 cormels.
(xiv) Nova Lux:
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Florets yellow with deep yellow throat and purplish base; spikes 90-100 cm long with 16-18 florets; florets 9-10 cm in size and ruffled; each corm produces 15-20 cormels.
(xv) Hunting Song:
Florets scarlet red with maroon throat having yellow markings; spikes 95-100 cm long; each with 17-19 florets; florets about 10 cm diameter; cormel production about 20 per corm.
(xvi) Rose Spire:
Florets light pinkish mauve with creamish white throat; spikes 95-110 cm long each having 17-18 florets of 10.5-11.0 cm diameter; each corm produces about 25-30 cormels per corm.
(xvii) American Beauty:
Florets reddish pink in colour with whitish throat and whitish blue anthers; spikes 70-75 cm long; each with 15-16 florets; florets 9.5-10.5 cm in size; each corm produces 70-80 cormels.
(xviii) Praha:
Florets white with creamish throat; spikes 100-105 cm long each with 18-20 florets size 10.5-11 cm; each corm produces 15-20 cormels.
(xix) Bonaire:
Florets peach coloured with deep pink and light yellow throat; spikes 90-100 cm each having 15-17 florets of about 10.0 cm diameter; cormel production about 40 per corm.
(xx) Trader Horn:
Florets bright red with creamish throat having prominent stripes. Spikes 90-100 cm long each having 18-20 florets; florets 10-10.5 cm in diameter; cormel production 70-80 per corm.
(xxi) Priscilla:
Spikes pinkish mauve with prominent light yellowish white bases; spikes 60-70 cm long with 14-15 florets; 8.0-9.0 cm in diameter; each corm produces 20-25 cormels.
(xxii) Her Majesty:
Florets deep violet in colour, spikes 65-70 cm long each with 13-14 florets; florets 8.0-8.5 cm in size; cormel production on about 20 per corm.
(xxiii) Eurovision:
Florets bright red in colour spikes 75-80 cm long each having 18-20 florets; florets 10-10.5 cm in size; cormel production 25-30 per corm.
(xxiv) Jester:
Florets deep yellow with red throat; spikes 90-100 cm long with 16- 18 florets; florets 9.5-10.0 cm in diameter; each corm produces 15-20 cormels.
(xxv)Applause:
Florets deep pink with red throat; spikes 90-100 cm long having 15-16 florets; 8.0-8.5 cm in size, each corm produces about 20 cormels.
(xxvi) Regency:
Florets deep maroon with velvety appearance and highly ruffled. Spikes 75-80 cm long each having 14-15 florets. Florets 8.5-9.0 cm in diameter, cormel production 10-20 per corm.
(xxvii) Windsong:
Florets purplish mauve with prominent light yellow throat. Spikes 90-95 cm long each bearing 15-16 florets. Florets 10-11 cm in diameter; each corm produces 30-40 cormels.
(xxviii) Oscar:
Florets maroon in colour; spikes 90-100 cm long with 15-18 florets. Florets about 10.0 cm in diameter. Each corm produces 25-30 cormels. This variety is highly susceptible to fusarial wilt.
(xxix) Peter Pears:
Florets orange red. Lip petal scarlet with light stripes; Florets 10.5 cm in diameter; each corm produces about 25-30 cormels.
(xxx) Mascagani:
Florets bright red; 9-10 cm in diameter; spikes 80-90 cm long each having 15-17 florets. Each corm produces 10-15 cormels.
(xxxi) Anglia:
Florets yellow; spikes 60-70 cm long each having 13-14 florets; florets 9.5-10 cm in diameter; each corm produces about 10-15 cormels.
(xxxii) Green spire:
Florets yellowish green in colour; spikes 75-80 cm long each with 12-13 florets; florets 10-10.5 cm in diameter. Cormel production 40-50 per corm.
(xxxiii) Blue Sky:
Florets violet blue in colour; Spikes 80-90 cm long each having 15-16 florets; Florets about 10 cm in diameter. Cormel production 25-30 per corm.
Timing Production:
There is a demand of flowers round the year. Therefore, efforts are done to produce the flowers for longer possible period. Experiments conducted revealed that quality spikes of gladiolus can be produced from end of October to April by adjusting the planting from July to December in the plains of North India.
The interval of planting may be 15 days or a month. The selection of varieties should be done carefully because some varieties may not produce the spikes at all or quality spikes under high temperature conditions. In the hilly areas, planting is done in March-April and flowers are produced from June to September.
Land Preparation and Fertilization:
Soil should be exposed to sun during May and June. It is advised that soil should be sterilized by covering with black polythene during these months. This will kill all harmful fungi of the soil. Twenty tonnes of well rotten farmyard manure should be mixed per acre at least one month before planting gladiolus corms. 40 kg of P2O5 (250 kg single super phosphate) and 40 kg K2O (66 kg. Muriate of potash) per acre should be applied.
Planting:
For planting gladiolus, well rested corms measuring more than 5 cm are used. This stage can be easily identified by the presence of rootlets at the basal disc. The corms after taking out from cold storage are kept under shade and they are descaled and treated with 0.2% Bavistin solution for 30 minutes. Corms raised through cormels produce better spikes than corms raised through corms.
It is generally planted in flat beds at the distance of 30 × 20 cm at the depth of 7 cm. At this distance about 60,000 corms can be accommodated per acre. This distance between row to row or plant to plant can be increased or decreased depending upon the machines used for cultivation. Higher plant population i.e., 80,000 or 1,00,000 corms per acre can also be accommodated.
When application of nitrogen into two splits followed by earthing up is done, ridges are formed automatically. Whenever there is danger of water logging conditions even for few days, planting should be done on ridges which are made 30 cm apart. Every year field should be changed. After 3-4 years, the same field may be used again.
Application of Nitrogen:
The application of N @ 160 kg N/acre should be done into two splits. Half dose of N. i.e. @ 80 kg N/acre should be applied at 3-leaf stage and remaining half nitrogen and 40 kg K2O (66 kg of Muriate of potash) should be applied at 6-leaf stage.
Irrigation:
Irrigation schedule for gladiolus depends upon weather conditions, soil types and rainfall. Normally in sandy loam soils irrigation is required at the interval of 7-10 days.
Weeding and Hoeing:
Weeding and hoeing are important operations to raise a crop successfully. Manual labour is used to carry out this operation in India, so far. Therefore, the cost of cultivation enhances considerably. Weeds should be removed whenever they appear. Otherwise weeds will compete with the main crop for nutrition and moisture. Four to five times weeding is required to raise a crop successfully. Experiments conducted here vividly revealed that the application of 2.5 L Basalin/ha as pre-planting treatment kept field considerably clear for 70 days without any harmful effect on corm and cormel production.
Yield of Spikes:
Normally single vegetative bud sprouts per corm which inhibits the sprouting of other buds resulting into single spike formation of a corm. However, in many cases more than one bud sprout and depending on number of bud sprouts, number of spikes is produced. Thus the yield of spikes is increased than the number of corms planted.
It has been observed that about 10-15% more spikes are produced than actually corm planted. The yield of spike also depends upon the density at which planting has been done. Thus 70,000-75,000 spikes are harvested when planting is done at the density of 60,000 corms per acre.
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Harvesting of Spikes:
Spikes of gladiolus have better vase life and can be transported for long distances when properly packed. The stage of harvesting of spikes depends upon the distance to be travelled. For distant market, spikes are harvested when basal floret of the spike shows colour whereas for local market spikes are harvested when basal floret is fully opened.
For enhancing the vase life of spikes, pulsing with 20% sucrose and 200 ppm hydrocxyquinoline citrate for 24 hours has shown very encouraging results. Cut spikes also can be successfully stored for 2 weeks at 1-2°C.
Packing of Flowers:
Cut flowers should be packed in cardboard boxes made for this purpose. Generally card board measuring 100 cm × 25 cm × 10 cm is used. Boxes of this size are costly; therefore, other old suitable boxes like tube light boxes or of other industries can also be used.
Corm Harvesting:
Corms and cormels are ready for lifting from the ground after 6-8 weeks of harvesting of spikes. Irrigation is withheld at-least 2-3 weeks before lifting the corms. Crops show the sign of maturity i.e., yellowing of leaves start. After lifting the corms from the ground, they are kept in shade along-with the leaves for drying for a week.
Leaves are removed, corms and cormels are cleaned. These cleaned corms and cormels are then dipped in 0.2% Bavistin solution for 30 minutes. Then these are dried in shade for 2-3 weeks, packed in shallow wooden crates or gunny bags and kept in cold storage till the next planting season.
Diseases:
1. Wilt or Collar Rot:
It is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Gladioli and is very devasting disease. Most typical symptom of this disease is the appearance of sickle shaped leaves. The plants exhibit yellowing of leaves and reddish brown cankers may also appear on collar region. For controlling this disease the aim should be for the prevention of the disease because it is not possible to cure a diseased plant after the symptoms are noticed.
To control this disease, plant apparently healthy corms after treating with 0.2% Bavistin solution. Do not plant the gladiolus crop in the same field for more than 2 or 3 years. Use corms for planting which are raised from cormels. Drenching the soil with 0.2% Bavistin and turning of the soil for 2-3 times has been found useful in controlling the disease.
Pre-storage treatment with 0.2% Bavistin has also been found useful in controlling this disease. An integrated use of hot water treatment of corms (57°C for 30 minutes) and soil drenching with captan (0.3%) was found to be effective in minimising the disease.
2. Storage Rot of Corms:
It is also caused by Fusarium oxysporum and by species of many saprophytic fungi like Alternaria, Penicillium, Aspergillus, etc. During storage corms become soft or corky with foul smell. Black spots appear on the surface of the corms. To control this disease, proper storage of corms in thin layers and pre-storage treatment with 0.3% Captan or 0.2% Bavistin should be followed.
