IMPROVED CUT FLOWER AND CORM PRODUCTION BY EXOGENOUS MORINGA LEAF EXTRACT APPLICATION ON GLADIOLUS CULTIVARS
Adnan Younis
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PakistanMuhammad Saleem Akhtar
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PakistanAtif Riaz
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PakistanFaisal Zulfiqar
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PakistanMuhammad Qasim
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, PakistanAmjad Farooq
Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSTATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari, PakistanUsman Tariq
College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bahadur Sub Campus, Layyah, PakistanMuhammad Ahsan
Department of Horticulture, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, PakistanZahid Mukthar Bhatti
In-Service Agricultural Training Institute, Rasalla 5, Sargodha, PakistanAbstract
Bio-stimulants are in excessive demand for the sustainable production of floriculture crops. The current investigation was designed to find out the effect of naturally occurring growth stimulant moringa leaf extract (MLE) on the growth, flowering, post-harvest life and corm production of two gladiolus cultivars (cvs.) ‘Rose Supreme’ and ‘White Prosperity’. The research trial was laid out in the factorial arrangement under randomized complete block design. Corms were grown in the open field under local climatic conditions of Faisalabad, Pakistan. Potential of exogenously applied (MLE; 30 times diluted) was evaluated. Treatments including spraying MLE at 3 leaves, 5 leaves, floral bud stage, one combination of these three stages relative to control with no foliar application. Application of natural bio-stimulant produced maximum height in both cvs. against T4. Both cvs. gave maximum stalk length in response to T4. The number of florets spike–1 found the maximum (13) in T1 compared to control T0 which yield (9) florets. Maximum vase life in sucrose solution (13.33 days) was exhibited by T1 for both cvs. while minimum (10 days) in T0. In cultivar comparison earlier spike emergence was observed in ‘White Prosperity’. In ‘Rose Supreme’ maximum corm weight was attained in response to T3 (43.43 g) while minimum (30.33 g) in T0.‘White Prosperity’ produced maximum weight (40.33 g) against T4 whereas minimum by control. The cultivar mean comparison showed the superiority of cormel diameter in ‘Rose Supreme’ (10.93 mm) than ‘White Prosperity’ (9.13 mm). In treatment comparison, T4 produced maximum diameter (12.04 mm) in ‘Rose Supreme’ moreover, T2 induced maximum (9.57 mm) diameter in ‘White Prosperity’.
Keywords:
gladiolus, spike length, moringa leaf extract, vase life, corm size, , number of florets spike–1Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSTATS Institute of Information Technology, Vehari, Pakistan
College of Agriculture, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Bahadur Sub Campus, Layyah, Pakistan
Department of Horticulture, Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
In-Service Agricultural Training Institute, Rasalla 5, Sargodha, Pakistan
License
Articles are made available under the conditions CC BY 4.0 (until 2020 under the conditions CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Submission of the paper implies that it has not been published previously, that it is not under consideration for publication elsewhere.
The author signs a statement of the originality of the work, the contribution of individuals, and source of funding.
