Effects of plant spacings, depths, and sectioning of planting materials on corm and cormel production of gladioli (Gladiolus x hybridus) cultivars 'Traderhorn' and 'Mascagni'

The effects of plant spacing, depth, and sectioning of planting materials on daughter corm and cormel production were evaluated in gladioli (Gladiolus x hybridus) cultivars 'Traderhorn' and 'Mascagni'. Whole and sectioned corms were planted at spacings of 15 and 30 cm, and at depths of 5 and 10 cm. Highest daughter corm production was achieved for both cultivars when whole corms were planted at a spacing of 15 cm and a depth of 30 cm. The highest daughter corm weight was achieved at 15 cm spacings for sectioned corms, while spacing had no affect on daughter corm weights for whole corms. Plant spacing, depth, or sectioning of corms had no influence on the number of cormels produced, or on the weight of cormels produced per meter of row. The average weight of cormels was greater at 15 cm spacing that at 30 cm. Cormel average weight for #1 'Traderhorn' was greater at a planting depth of 5 cm than 10 cm, while 'Mascagni' showed no depth-dependent differences.