Effect of 2-Chloroethanephosphonic Acid (Ethrel) on Health, Dormancy, and Flower and Corm Yield of Gladioli

Summary2-Chloroethanephosphonic acid (Ethrel), an ethylene releasing compound, was used on gladiolus corms as a 30-minute dip treatment in various concentrations and at various times during storage.The most important effect of Ethrel was the marked increase in health and survival of treated plants infected with latent Fusarium.Ethrel at 1000 ppm enhanced sprouting when corms were stored at high temperatures or stored for a short period at 5 °C. Treatment of cold-stored corms at high concentrations delayed sprouting.Ethrel increased corm splitting, delayed flowering and slightly shortened flower stems. The size of harvested corms was reduced, but the yield of cormels was greatly increased by Ethrel.