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Gladiolus: Ornamental Plants
Gladiolus: Ornamental Plants
- GLADIOLUS
Presented by: Nischal Sapkota PHOTO 04/2021
Gladiolus(Gladiolus grandavensis L)
Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta
Superdivision: Spermatophyta
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Liliopsida
Subclass: Liliidae
Order: Liliiales
Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Gladiolus L.
Species: gandvaensis
Short description of Gladiolus
• Is cormous and tender herbaceous annual
(some perennial).
01 Gandiflorus type
• Large and exhibition type.
02 Primulinus
• Cuttype
flower (mostly western)
03 Pixiola type
• Miniature, for pot culture smaller flower, longer lasting
cut flower, bedding type.
04 Butterfly type
• Medium size of flower, attractive blotches and throat marking.
Uses
• Is a very popular flower in international cut flower trade.
• Use in bedding, pots, herbaceous border and for cut flowers d/t its
large variety of colorful flowers.
• For cut flowers, primulinus types of gladiolus are better as more
spikes come out from a corm and they can be planted in isolated
borders.
• Grandiflorus and primulinus types look very attractive in mixed
flower borders, but primulinus types are preferred as these do not
need staking so are ideal for preparing flower beds.
Varieties of Gladiolus
PHOTO 04/2021
• Are mainly used for breeding purposes and they are avoided in
commercial cultivation.
• They take 3-4 years for flowering.
Planting
B. Plant materials
b. Corms/ Cormlets
• Soaking the corm in water or hot water (55° C) before sowing has earlier
sprouting. Hot water has two main effects, they are; heat influences ethylene
production and the hot water leaches out inhibitors.
• GA3, NAA (10-50 ppm) favors sprouting but the effect will reverse on higher
concentration dose.
Land preparation,Manuring and Fertilizer
Application
D. Staking
• Done to provide the better anchorage to the growing plants especially tall
plants.
• Done after the emergence of spikes but before the opening of florets.
• Plants are loosely fastened at 3 places with the help of jute cord/ rope.
E. Mulching
• Done to prevent moisture loss and suppress the growth of weeds.
• Dry grass can be used for mulching.
• But when attack by termites (white ants) then, it is avoided.
Harvesting of Gladiolus
• Generally, gladiolus starts to initiate spikes when the total no. of
leaves is 8.
• Best time to harvest is in the morning since the cells are in fully
turgid which helps for easy cutting of the stem during this period.
• Harvesting done along with 2 leaves using sharp knife or secateurs and
should be immediately placed in cool water.
• Pulsing by 20% Sucrose + AgNO3 (1000ppm) for 16-24 hours at 21° C. OR,
20% Sucrose + 50ppm AgNO3, OR, 20% Sucrose + 300ppm Al2(SO4)3.
Vase life
• Time period between after putting the cut spikes in the vase and up to
when the 1st floret falls.
• 2-12% sucrose + Ethylene Scrubber + Bactericide Compound is used in vase
solution.
• Fluoride (0.25ppm) in water causes blotching of petal and bud may fail
to open.
• Stem end should be dipped at least 0.5 cm in the vase solution.
Post-harvest of Gladiolus
Vase life
Harvesting of Corms and Cormel
After 45 days of spike harvest the corm and cormels are ready for lifting.
Corms and cormels are geophytes , so special care should be taken while
lifting them from the ground.
Storage of Corms
• Best in wired bottom wooden trays, keeping them in single layer for 100
corms at 2-4.5° C.
• 10-20 days shade drying after treatment of Bavistin 0.2%, and then store
in cold store at 3-4° C for 3 months.
Harvesting of Corms and Cormel
Storage of Corms
Diseases and their control
A. Botrytis blight
B. Fusarium corm rot
C. Curvularia blight
D. Bacterial leaf and neck rots
Diseases and their control
A. Botrytis blight
caused by Botrytis gladiolorum.
Damages both leaves and flowers.
Control measures:
Spray maneb (with zinc) and benomyl.
B. Fusarium corm rot
Causes rot in storage.
Symptoms include deformed, blind plants, and floret
disfigurement..
Control measures:
hot water treatment of cormels, fungicide dips of corms and
soil fumigation.
Diseases and their control
C. Curvularia blight
caused by Curvularia trifolii f.species gladioli.
Damages young leaves,flowers and cormels.
Control measures:
Spray maneb and chlorothlonil.
D. Bacterial leaf and neck rots
caused by Xanthamonas gummisudans.
Symptoms include yellow-brown tissue about the corm with a sharp,
moldy odor. Black sclerotia are usually visible between the leaf
base.
Control measures:
hot water treatment of cormels, fungicide dips of corms and soil
fumigation.
Infested soil should be avoided during cool season.
Insects and their control
A. Aphids
B. Thrips
C. Loopers (Larvae/ Worms)
D. Nematodes
Insects and their control
A. Aphids (Macrosiphum gossypii)
suck the sap fom foliage and flowers and transmit virus
pathogens.
Control measures:
Spray Dimethoate, Malathion and Endosulfan at recommended dose.
B. Thrips (Taeniothrips simplex)
cause scars on florets.
Control measures:
Spray Diazinon, Monocrotophos, or Acephate in conjunction with proper
weed management practices.
Insects and their control
C. Loopers(Larvae/ Worms)
Loopers are basically larvae/ worms that make loops while moving.
Some loopers are; Tichoplusia ni, also k/a Armyworms; Spodoptera
frugiperda, also k/a Cut worms; and Feltia subterranean.
Control measures:
larval stages can be controlled by spray of Bacillus thruingensis
(a bacterial pathogen of lepidoptera larvae).
spray Monocrotophos and Trichlorfon at recommended dose.
Control measures:
Hot water treatment of corms and cormels and by soil fumigation.
Deep summer ploughing and soil solarization.
“The night is bliss full with
mere light of the moon.
The fragrance of tuberose
binding a new tune.
Hiding the sorrow of
afternoon.
- Suparna
PHOTO 04/2021