Effect of gamma rays on vegetative and floral parameters of gladiolus

Abstract

The present experiment was carried out during 2014-15 and 2015-2016 with the objective to study the morphological and floral variability in gladiolus variety ‘Punjab Glance’. The experiment was conducted in Factorial Randomized complete Block Design (FRCBD) with three replications comprising 50 corms per replication. The corms of gladiolus variety ‘Punjab Glance’ treated with 60Co gamma rays at 0, 50, 100, 125 and 150 Gy were planted in the field in Factorial Randomized Complete Block Design. The data revealed that with the increase in dose from 50 to 150 Gy, vegetative characters like survival rate, days taken to sprouting of corms, plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, corm and production were decreased. The floral characters like spike length, number of florets per spike, floret size were also reduced. The maximum survival rate (84.52 %), number of leaves (7.01) and leaf area (100.43 cm2) were recorded in control. Minimum time taken to sprouting of corms (15.29 days) was recorded at 50 Gy, while the maximum (23.15 days) was observed with 150 Gy. The maximum plant height (95.90 cm), corms (2.11) and cormels/ plant (21.07), weight of corms (45.21 g) and cormels/ plant (8.72 g) were recorded at 50 Gy which were reduced at 150 Gy. Leaf abnormalities were recorded in terms of leaf margin and apex bud.