VARIABILITY AND CHARACTER ASSOCIATION IN GLADIOLUS (GLADIOLUS GRANDIFLORUS L.)

A study was conducted to estimate genetic variability, heritability and genetic advance of 15 quantitative characters in forty four gladiolus cultivars. Significant difference was observed for most of the characters except number of corms per plant under study. The estimated phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV). The estimated range of PCV and GCV were ranging from 8.41 (PCV) and 6.83 (GCV) for diameter of floret to 127.33 (PCV) and 126.33 (GCV) for number of florets per spike. The characters, days to 50% sprouting, number of leaves per plant, length of leaves, number of florets per spike, diameter of corm, weight of corms per plant, number of cormels per plant and cormels weight per plant exhibited high heritability along with high genetic advance which indicated that, their was additive gene action in expression of these traits and thereby further improvement could be made by selection. Plant height was significantly and positively correlated with number of leaves per plant, spike length, rachis length, days to 50% flowering, diameter of florets indicating that with the increasement of plant height these associated characters could be improved.