Yalek Messar, M. Pratap, Rishu Sharma2 and Sunder Pal
Abstract
Investigations were carried out during October 2010- April 2011 to study the effect of polythene mulching (black, red and white each 25μ) and micronutrient (FeSO4 1.0% and ZnSO4 0.75%) foliar sprays on growth and flowering in gladioli cv. White Prosperity. The quality and flowering attributes were significantly influenced by mulching and micronutrient foliar sprays. Significantly maximum plant height, minimum days for 50% flowering and days for basal flower opening was recorded with black polythene mulch 25μ and 1.0% FeSO4. Spike quality attributes like spike length, florets per spike, weight of spike, diameter of flower were also more for the treatment with black polythene mulch 25μ and FeSO4 1.0%. However different mulches and spraying of FeSO4 and ZnSO4 failed to exert any significant effect on number of leaves, number of spikes per plant and number of florets open at a time.