Evaluation of the response of Gladiolus cv Summer Sunshine to foliar spray of calcium.

摘要

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the role of calcium and to identify its effective source and application time on the vegetative and floral traits of Gladiolus with foliar application of calcium nitrate and calcium carbonate and was conducted in randomized block design with three replications. Analysis of variance study indicated that most of the treatments differed significantly among themselves except for plant height at six leaf stage, plant height at spike emergence stage and number of florets per spike in both the years. The results obtained revealed that foliar spray of calcium favored most of the vegetative and floral characters. Calcium nitrate was found superior to calcium carbonate in promoting various vegetative and floral characters under study. Spraying of calcium nitrate at 6 leaves stage and spike emergence stage to Gladiolus plant was most effective to influence the vegetative growth and floral parameters and was found on par with calcium nitrate 300 ppm at 6 leaves stage for maximum characters like leaf area, days to spike emergence, days to 1st floret opening from spike emergence, flower diameter and spike length.