Effect of foliar application of zinc and copper on leaf nutrient content, growth and flowering in gladiolus (Gladiolus spp) cv. Pink Friendship

unknown. An experiment was conducted in the year 2013-14 at Banaras Hindu University to find out the effect of foliar application of zinc and copper on nutrient accumulation and various growth and flowering parameters in gladiolus (Gladiolus spp). Maximum number of leaves (12.58), leaf area index (1.74), fresh weight (46.83 g) and dry weight (6.33 g) of the plant was recorded with the treatment combination Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.2% followed by Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.4% and was significant to the other treatment. While, maximum plant height (107.12 cm) was observed with the treatment combination Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.4% followed by Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.2%. Control plant treated with distilled water recorded minimum among various growth parameters studied. Among flowering parameters, early spike emergence (66.33 days) was noticed with the treatment combination Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.2%. Similarly, days to colour show of the spike (82.03 days), opening of the first (86.67 days), third (88.33 days), fifth (89.00 days) and seventh floret (90.08 days) was recorded earliest with the treatment combination Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.2% followed by Zn 0.2%. Thus, durability of the florets was recorded maximum with the treatment Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.2%. However, maximum duration of flowering was noticed with the treatment Zn 0.2% (17.45 days) followed by Zn 0.2% + Cu 0.4% (17.11 days) andwas significant to the other treatments. Maximum zinc accumulation (58.94 ppm) was recorded with the treatment Zn 0.4% followed by Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.4% and Zn 0.2%. Whereas, treatment combination Zn 0.4% + Cu 0.4% (43.61 ppm) recorded maximum copper accumulation which was statistically at par with the treatment combination Zn 0.2% + Cu 0.4% (43.46 ppm). However, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium accumulation showed a little variation among the various treatments.