EFFECT OF PRE-PLANTING SOAKING OF CORMS WITH CHEMICALS AND PLANTGROWTH REGULATORS ON DORMANCY BREAKING AND CORM AND CORMELPRODUCTION IN GLADIOLUS

The effect of thiourea (TU), salicylic acid (SA), potassium nitrate (KNO3) and gibbrrellic acid (GA3) with two corm soaking periods on dormancy breaking and corm and cormel production of two gladiolus cultivars Darshan and Dhiraj was investigated during 2008-09 and 2009-10. Cv. Darshan recorded significantly minimum number of days to sprouting and maximum percentage of sprouting over cv. Dhiraj. Pre-planting soaking of corms for 24 h was significantly more influencing over 12 h soaking in decreasing the number of days to sprouting and increasing corm sprouting percentage and number of buds sprouted per corm. TU 2% and SA 150 ppm were highly effective in reducing the number of days taken for sprouting over control. TU 2%, SA 150 ppm, KNO3 1.5% and GA3 150 ppm significantly increased sprouting percentage of corms over control and recorded maximum number of sprouts per corm. The cultivar Dhiraj recorded maximum corm size and weight, maximum number of small cormels and total number of cormels per plant over cv. Darshan. Cv. Darshan recorded higher number of big cormels. Soaking of corms for 24 h significantly improved corm and cormel attributes than 12 h soaking. SA 150 ppm and TU 2% were effective in increasing number of corms per plant. Maximum corm size and weight were recorded with SA 150 ppm and GA3 150 ppm. Maximum number of big cormels per plant and cormel weight was recorded with TU 2%, GA3 150 ppm and SA 150 ppm. Control recorded significantly more number of small cormels and total number of cormels per plant.