Effect of different chemicals on breaking dormancy, growth and flowering of gladiolus cultivars

Abstract

The effect of chemical treatments on breaking the dormancy of corms in Shabnum and Jyotsna cultivars of gladiolus was investigated. Shabnum took less number of days for corm sprouting and more number of days for flowering than the cv. Jyotsna. Spike length and number of florets per spike were maximum in the cv. Shabnum. Hydrogen cyanamide (HC) followed by thiourea (TU) were found to be superior in respect of per cent sprouting, days taken for sprouting, number of spikes per plot, number of corms per plant, corm size, corm weight, corm volume and weight of cormels. Promoters of alternate respiration (HC, TU and salicylic acid SA) were highly effective in breaking corm dormancy, whereas propyl gallate, a potential inhibitor of alternate respiration could not break the dormancy. Hydrogen cyanamide (1%), thiourea (2%) and salicylic acid (100 ppm) were found to be effective in breaking the dormancy and in improving growth and flowering of gladiolus.