Influence of gamma radiation on growth, flowers and morphological changes in Gladiolus.

An experiment was conducted at Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology And Sciences, Allahabad in the year 2017-2018 to check the effect of different doses of Gamma radiation (0kR, 1.5kR, 3kR, 4.5kR, and 6kR) on corms of three different gladiolus cultivars namely Praha, Tiger flame, and Snow Princess, it was established that till 3 kR most of the characters were stimulated but started to sink from 4.5kR. However, 6kR treated corms produced leathery and narrower leaves with shorter plant height (57.41 cm), less leaf number (6.75), less sprouts/corm (1.57), and least spikes/plant (1.14) with an abnormal spike. While 1.5 kR treatment proved the most beneficial for various growth parameters including Plant height (87.21cm), the number of leaves (10.76), early sprouting (14.40 days), Early flowering (72.37 days), Longest flower spike (75.41 cm) and more spikes per plant (2.90). Among the Cultivars Tiger flame and Praha were found to respond well to lower doses of gamma radiation and consider being more suitable for gamma treatment. Moreover, discolor basal floret was found in Praha in 1.5kR treated corms, and Chimera was found on Tiger Flame variety at 3kR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]