Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorous on Growth, Development and Vase Life of Gladiolus

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different doses of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth and development, flower spike characteristics and the vase life of gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) at the horticulture farm, IAAS, Rampur, Nepal, in 2014–15. One of the promising varieties, American Beauty, was used as the planting material in this experiment. Observations on the plant height, leaf number, length of spike and rachis, diameter of spike, number of florets on the spike and diameter of corm were taken to assess the effect of different combinations of nitrogen and phosphorus on gladiolus plants. The variable doses of nitrogen (75, 100 and 150 kg/ha) and phosphorus (50, 75 and 100 kg/ha) and their interaction produced a significant effect on the germination of corms and growth (height) of the plants. Nitrogen and phosphorus combination significantly affected the number of leaves during earlier stages of the plant growth. The combination of nitrogen and phosphorus did not cause significant increment on corm diameter. The higher doses of nitrogen produced a significant difference on the length of flower spikes, rachis length, spike diameter and floret width. However, the effect was found to be non-significant on number of florets on the spike. The variable doses of sucrose solution produced significant effect on the total vase life of the flower spike at room temperature. The combination 150 kg/ha nitrogen and 100 kg/ha phosphorous produced highest plant height (66.57 cm) at 75 days after planting, spike length (76.54 cm), rachis length (43.55 cm) and combination of 100 kg nitrogen/ha with 75 kg phosphorous/ha gave longest vase life (8.5 days) of cut spike (in 6% sucrose solution) as compared to the other treatments under study. Thus, the variable application of nitrogen and phosphorus significantly affects the growth, development and vase life of gladiolus.

Keywords: Gladiolus, nitrogen, phosphorus, spike, vase life

Cite this Article

Krishna Dhakal, Dinesh Khanal, Dipendra Kumar Ayer et al. Effect of Nitrogen and Phosphorous on Growth, Development and Vase Life of Gladiolus. Research & Reviews: Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 2017; 6(3): 1–7p.