Exogenous Application of Calcium Improved the Vegetative Attributes and Corm Production in Gladiolus

Gladiolus is commercially important flowering plant famous for its excellent flowers worldwide. In order to meet the high demand for its quality plants especially cut flowers. Gladiolus is commercially propagated by corms. The quality and health of corm is one of the important factors that affect the production and quality of gladiolus florets and spikes as well as corm production. Keeping in view, the significant role of calcium in plants and its potential effects on vegetative attributes and quality production of gladiolus corms, an experiment was conducted during the years 2016-2017. The influence of foliar calcium application was investigated by spraying the gladiolus plants cv. “White Prosperity” with 0, 100, 200, 300 and 400 mM calcium solutions at different times (3^rd, 5^th and 7^th leaf stages). The findings showed that maximum leaf area (43.21 cm²), leaf chlorophyll content (58.275 SPAD), size and weight of daughter corms (7.10 cm and 61.52 g) and highest calcium content (0.567%) in daughter corms were recorded in gladiolus plants sprayed with 200 mM calcium. Results pertaining to foliar application time showed that maximum leaf area (38.92 cm²), maximum calcium content in leaf and daughter corm (0.971% and 0.442%) were recorded in plants of gladiolus treated with calcium at 5th leaf stage. Whereas application of calcium at 7^th leaf stage resulted in maximum size and weight of daughter corm (6.45 cm and 59.17 g). The interaction between calcium concentrations and application time revealed that foliar application of 200 mM calcium at 5th leaf stage resulted in significant increase in leaf area, however application of the same concentration of calcium at 7^th leaf stage resulted in maximum size and weight of daughter corm. It is concluded that foliar application of 200 mM calcium at 7th leaf stage increased the size and weight of daughter corm and hence could be recommended for better corm production in Peshawar conditions.