Response of Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) Cultivars to Different Planting Dates under Semi-Arid Environments

The present investigation determines the optimum planting dates and suitable cultivar for enhanced production of corm and cormlets of Gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) under semi-arid conditions. The experiment was carried out during the rabi season of 2024-25 with five cultivars, viz., Nova Lux, White Prosperity, Rose Supreme, American Beauty, and Big Time Supreme at three different dates of planting (5th October, 20th October, 5th November) in a factorial randomized block design with fifteen treatments and three replications. Results revealed that planting dates significantly affect corm and cormlet attributes, such as number of daughter corms, weight of corm, number of cormlets per plant, whereas planting in November resulted in superior corm size, corm weight and cormlet production. Among five cultivars, American Beauty performed better for most corm-related traits, while White Prosperity found best for number of cormlets produced. The present study indicates that planting gladiolus during early November, particularly the American Beauty variety of gladiolus, is most suitable for achieving higher cormlet production with better corm traits under semi-arid conditions, thereby offering practical guidance for commercial cultivation of gladiolus.