Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management on Growth Flowering and Corm Production in Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflours L.) cv. White Prosperity

Abstract

The present investigation entitled, "Effect of Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) on growth, flowering and corm production in gladiolus (Gladiolus gralldijlorus L.) cv. White Prosperity". was conducted at Horticulture · Research Center of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meemt, (Uttar pradesh) during Rabi season of 2012. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design "(RBD) with three replications. The experiment consisted of. ten treatments viz. T1, [Control (without any application of fertilizer and manure)], T2, [100%RDF,(NPK 300:200:200 kg/ha)], T3, [75% RDF, (NPK 225:150:150 kg/ha) + 2 Tonnes of Vermicompost], T4, [75% RDF, (NPK 225:150:150 kg/ha) + 2 Tonnes of Vermicompost + PSB, (2.5kglha)]; T5, [75% RDF, (NPK 225:150:150 kg/ha) + 2 Tonnes ofVermicompost + Azatobactor, (2.5kg/ha)],T6, [75% RDF, (NPK 225:150:150 kg/ha) + 2 Tmmes of Vermicompost + PSB, (2.5kg/ha) + Azatobactor, (2.5kg/ha)], T7, [50% RDF, (NPK 150:100:100 kg/ha) + 2 Tonnes of Vermicompost], T8, [50% RDF, (NPK 150:100:100 kglha) + 2 Tonnes ofVermicompost + PSB, (2.5kg/ha)], T9, [50% RDF, (NPK 150:100:100 kg/ha) + 2 Tom1es of Vermicompost + Azatobactor, (2.5kglha)], T10, [50% RDF,_ (NPK 150:100:100 kg/ha) + 2 Tonnes of Vermicompost + PSB, (2.5kg/ha) + Azatobactor, (2.5kg/ha)]. Among all the treatments, treatmentT6, [75% RDF, (NPK 225:150:150 kg/ha) + 2 Toru1es of Vermicompost + PSB, (2.5kglha) + Azatobactor, (2.5kg/ha)] significantly gave the maximum plant height, number of leaves per plant, length of longest leaf per plant and number of sprouts per plant. This treatment was also observed significantly superior to induce early flowering, days required for visibility of first spike and days required for opening of the . first flower. However, the maximum number of spike per plant, diameter of flower, diameter of spike, number of spikes per plant, vase life of cut flower at room temperature and longevity of spike was ~lso noted superior ~ith the same treatment. As far as corm characters are concerned, the maximum number of corms per plant, diameter of corm, number of cormels per plant, weight of corm, weight of cormels per plant and yield of conn and cormels (q/ha) were also noted higher in the treatment T6. While calculating the economics of different treatments in the present study, the maximum gross/net return (1294373/958823) was found in the treatment T6 followed by, (1072163/741266) in the treatment of T10 and minimum gross/net return (732181/421039) was found in control. The maximum cost: benefit ratio (1 :2.86) was . also found in the same treatment T6 followed by, (1:2.24) in the treatment T1o and minimum cost : benefit ( 1: 1.3 5) was found in control. Based on the results· obtained from the present study, it may be concluded that,· among all the treatments of integrated nutrient management (INM) applied in the study, treatment T6, (75% RDF + 2 tones VC + PSB + Azatobactor), was found to be most effective in improving the growth, flowering and corm production in gladiolus cv. White Prosperity under the agro climatic conditions of western Uttar Pradesh, India.