Evaluating different Hydroponics Systems for Growth, Flowering and Quality of Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus)

The contribution of floriculture towards both small-scale and large-scale farm incomes, employment opportunities and foreign exchange earning has experienced un-precedented growth in recent years. The aim of this investigation was to determine the effects of different hydroponics systems and growing medium components on growth, yield and quality of gladiolus. The experiments were laid out in a split-plot design. Three hydroponics systems were used as the main plots i.e., elevated tray, ground lay bed and bag culture hydroponics systems. The sub-plots were allocated to the different medium components i.e., crushed stone, sawdust, sand and vermiculite. The highest plant height (91.7 cm) was observed in ʹPrahaʹ grown using sawdust. A reduction in plant height of about 42 and 30% was observed between ʹNagaritʹ and ʹPrahaʹ grown in crushed stone and sawdust, respectively. Gladiolus plants in the bag culture hydroponics system had higher plant height than in the other systems. ʹTraderhornʹ and ʹWhite Friendshipʹ flowered only, when grown using sawdust. However, all plants of ʹPrahaʹ flowered, when grown using all the medium components. The highest number of flowers per spike for ʹPrahaʹ (27.8), ʹTraderhornʹ (17.0) and ʹWhite Friendshipʹ (18.4) was observed in plants grown using sawdust. The highest cut flower stem length for ʹWhite Friendshipʹ (104.0 cm) was obtained from plants grown using sawdust in bag culture hydroponics system. For the hydroponics culture of gladiolus, bag culture hydroponics system may be used with sawdust as growing medium. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers