Interaction effects of genotypes and storage media on corm storability and floral traits in gladiolus (Gladiolus × grandiflorus) under cold storage conditions

Abstract

Cold storage effectively breaks dormancy and synchronises sprouting in gladiolus (Gladiolus × grandiflorus L.) corms, yet sub-optimal relative humidity in these environments frequently induces severe physiological desiccation and the depletion of vital metabolic reserves. An experiment was conducted in 2024 and 2025 at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to evaluate the efficacy of storage media in mitigating physiological desiccation of gladiolus corms under cold storage (6 ± 1°C). The experiment was laid out in a factorial completely randomised design (F-RCBD) with five genotypes (‘Pusa Shanti’, ‘Pusa Mohini’, ‘Pusa Manmohak’, ‘Jyotsna’ and ‘Creamy Green’) and three storage media (control, cocopeat and sand). Results revealed that cocopeat was most effective medium for preserving corm physiology, recording less deterioration of weight (4.87%) and advancing sprouting (92.35 days). Genotypically, ‘Pusa Mohini’ exhibited superior storage performance with maximum corm weight (72.30 g initial, 69.87 g final), while ‘Creamy Green’ showed the lowest shrinkage (3.75%). Although cocopeat accelerated spike emergence (74.36 days), sand proved superior for field performance, significantly enhancing sprouting (89.71%), floret longevity (4.91 days) and spike length (71.78 cm). Significant genotype × media interactions indicated that ‘Pusa Mohini’ stored in cocopeat is ideal for earliness and corm yield, whereas ‘Creamy Green’ stored in sand produced the longest spikes (79.25 cm), suitable for the cut‑flower industry. Ultimately, this study concludes that cocopeat effectively buffers against cold-induced desiccation while sand optimises vegetative and floral quality. These findings support developing variety-specific storage protocols to minimise postharvest losses and enhance gladiolus productivity in India.