CORM AND CORMEL SIZE OF GLADIOLUS GREATLY INFLUENCED GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF SUBSEQUENT CORM PRODUCTION

A study was initiated to evaluate the effect of different cormel sizes on the growth and development of gladiolus corms in the city of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The current study was undertaken at Ornamental Horticulture Nursery, Department of Horticulture, the Agriculture University, Peshawar during 2009. Three different cormel sizes (C1 - > 1.5 cm and <= 2 cm, C2 = > 1.0 cm and <= 1.5 cm and C3 = > 0.5 cm and <= 1 cm of gladiolus cultivar "white Friendship". were planted and the effect of cormel size on growth was assessed. Cultivar white Friendship; has white colour, 30-45cm spikes length, bearing 18-20 florets around 9.5-10.5cm size and at average each corm produces 15-20 cormels (AgrihortiCo: Dissemination of Horticultural information). Number of studies indicated that cormel sizes significantly influence consequent growth and development of corms. In the present study, it was observed that corm and cormel size positively effects on various parameters and the highest values were obtained from large size cormels for sprouting percentage (70.40), number of leaves per plant (6.77), survival percentage (77.46), leaf area (61.14 cm(2)), plant height (61.25 cm), diameter of corms (3.18 cm), corms weight (9.616 g) and maximum numbers of cormels per plant (4.74). Earliest sprouting was observed in large size cormels (21.5 days), whereas maximum percent increase in cormel size (186.16) was obtained from small size cormels.