Effect of plant growth regulators and natural growth substances on growth and flowering of gladiolus CV. American beauty

Investigations were conducted to study the effect of different chemicals and natural growth substances as a pre harvest foliar spray on Gladiolus cv. American Beauty. The treatments were comprised of plant growth regulators gibberellic acid (GA3, 25 and 50 mg/l) Salicylic acid (SA, 25 and 50 mg/l); and natural growth substances enriched banana pseudostem sap (1 and 2 per cent) and banana pseudostem sap (2 and 4 per cent). All the treatments improved the yield and flowering characters over control. However, among different treatments, foliar spray of GA3 @ 50 mg/l, followed by GA3 @ 25 mg/l were found most significant in influencing all yield parameters like number of spikes per plant and per meter square, no. of sprouts per corm, corm and cormel yield. Further, flowering parameters like spike length and vase life were significantly highest in plants sprayed with GA3 @ 50 mg/l followed by GA3 @ 25 mg/l. Among natural growth substances, enriched banana pseudostem sap @ 2% significantly improved all the parameters as compared to control.