EFFECT OF COMPOST AND SOME NATURAL STIMULANT TREATMENTS ON: I. VEGETATIVE GROWTH AND FLOWERING ASPECTS OF (GLADIOLUS GRANDIFLORUS CV. PETER PEARS) PLANTS

Two field experiments were carried out during the two successive seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 at the Nursery and the Laboratory of Ornamental plants, Faculty of Agriculture, Minia University. The aim of this study was to figure out the effect of organic fertilization and natural stimulants, as well as, their interaction on vegetative growth, flowering aspects of Gladiolus grandiflorus cv. Peter Pears plants. Results showed that vegetative growth (leaf length, number of leaves/plant and dry weight of leaves/plant) and flowering aspects (length of spike, number of florets/spike and lower floret diameter) were gradually increased by increasing the level of compost fertilizer. All natural stimulant treatments significantly increased all vegetative growth characters and flowering parameters in comparison with the control. Seaweeds extract at 3 cm3/l or active dry yeast at 5 g/l seemed to be more effective than other treatments in this concern. The use of high level of compost (7.5 ton/fed) in combination with seaweeds extract at 3 cm3/l or active dry yeast at 5 g/l noticeably improved the different vegetative growth characters and flowering parameters of gladiolus.