Genetic variability studies in gladiolus (Gladiolus hybridus Hort.)

Assessment of variability, heritability and genetic advances of forty gladiolus genotypes were evaluated. The presence of high amount of variability (GCV and PCV) was observed for days to corm sprouting, number of shoots per plant, leaf area per plant, leaf area index, number of spikes per plant, spike weight, weight of corm before planting, number of daughter corms per plant, average weight of daughter corm, number of cormels per plant and average weight of cormels. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean was observed for characters like days to corm sprouting, plant height, number of shoots per plant, number of leaves per plant, leaf width, leaf area per plant, leaf area index, stem girth, number of spikes per plant, spike length, spike weight, rachis length, number of florets per spike, vase life, weight of corm before planting, number of daughter corms per plant, average weight of daughter corm, number of cormels per plant, average weight of cormels. It was concluded that highly significant varietal differences indicated the presence of high amount of variability.