The effects of drip irrigation on flowering and flower quality of glasshouse gladiolus plant

This study was carried out to determine the effects of irrigation on flowering, flower quality and water use efficiency (WUE) of gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.) planted in glasshouse in the winter and irrigated by a drip irrigation system under Mediterranean conditions. Two gladiolus varieties, Peter Pears and Eurovision, were used. Three irrigation levels, I-1 = 0.50 Epan, I-2 = 0.75 Epan, and I-3 = 1.00 Epan, were applied based on the evaporation measured by a Class A Pan (Epan, mm) located in the glasshouse. It was found that the irrigation levels affect the flowering (percentage) and flower quality characteristics of gladiolus and the two gladiolus varieties were not statistically different. The highest quality was obtained in the I-3 irrigation treatment, followed by I-2 and I-1. Seasonal water use of I-1, I-2, and I-3 irrigation treatments on the average were found to be 12.7, 15.4, and 18.1 mm week(-1), respectively. A linear relation between water use (WU) and flowering percentage for Peter Pears and Eurovision varieties (R-2 = 0.91 and 0.85, P <= 0.01, respectively) were obtained. It is determined that every mm of water is increasing flowering percentage of gladiolus about 0.3%. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.