Well, as is often true with research findings, the answer is a bit complicated, but stay tuned for some great news! First, the bad news. For years, nutritionists, dieticians, and medical professionals have emphasized dietary calcium intake and calcium supplements, along with vitamin D, as the key to strong bones. Yet, several recent studies show that people who take calcium supplements may experience more heart attacks and strokes than those who don’t.

A calcium conundrum

Salicylic acid (SA), the known mediator of systemic acquired resistance, induced stomatal closure of Vicia faba L. Application of SA to the epidermal peels evoked an elevation of chemiluminescence of Cripridina lucigenin-derived chemiluminescent reagent (CLA) which is sensitive to superoxide anion (O(2)(.-)). The SA-induced generation of chemiluminescence was suppressed by O(2)(.-)-specific scavengers superoxide dismutase (SOD) and 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzenedisulfonic acid (Tiron). These results suggest that O(2)(.-) was generated in epidermal peels by SA-treatment. A peroxidase inhibitor salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) inhibited guaiacol peroxidase activity and suppressed the SA-induced CLA chemiluminescence in the epidermal peels, suggesting that O(2)(.-) generation occurred by the peroxidase-catalyzed reaction as proposed for SA-treated tobacco cell suspension culture [Kawano et al. (1998) Plant Cell Physiol. 39: 721]. SOD, Tiron or SHAM suppressed the SA-induced stomatal closure. Moreover, application of superoxide-generating system also induced stomatal closure. These results support the concept of involvement of reactive oxygen species in signal transduction in SA-induced stomatal closure.

A possible involvement of superoxide generation in salicylic acid-induced stomatal closure in vicia faba

Seven promising cultivars, viz, Snow Princess, Melody, Aldebaran, Suchitra, Mayur, G-55 and CPG-6 (Pusa Suhagin) were selected for stability of performance in six environments. On the basis of mean performance, Snow Princess took minimum number of days for basal floret to open (63.80). Melody was a good performer as well as had average stability for most of the traits. Mayur produced maximum number of florets (16.80). Though Mayar produced less number of cormels per plant than Melody, yet it had better stability of performance. These cultivars, therefore, exhibited great promise for hybridization.

Gen01Ype x environment interaction of some quantitative traits in gladiolus

Degraded and salt affected soils are appearing more often in cultivated areas. These specific problems could reduce nutrient uptake, which can result in quality and yield loss of the cultivated plants. In order to cope with this pedo-climatic condition growers are applying fertilizers; however, due to inadequate application, soil degradation will continue. Five Gladiolus varieties were subjected to foliar fertilization treatments to assess the effect on the plant’s growth parameters, vase durability and daughter corm production. Our results indicate that plants treated with foliar fertilization show significant increase in the measured parameters, flower stem length, vase durability and daughter corm production. In conclusion, our study suggests that application of foliar fertilization can increase Gladiolus plants decoration and propagation, even with a smaller footprint on nature.

Impact of Foliar Fertilization on Growth, Flowering, and Corms Production of Five Gladiolus Varieties.

An experiment was conducted to assess the performance of gladiolus cultivars at the Horticultural Research Station, Moundori farm, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, where was nine cultivars tested during two consequentional year 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 under AICRP programme in West Bengal. Among the new cultivars tested, AC.No.7 and Punjab Glad-1may be recommended for quality spike production along with Pusa Kiran, Pusa Subham, Yellow enterprise and Candy Man.

https://www.phytojournal.com/archives/2019/vol8issue3/PartI/8-3-26-669.pdf

Performance of new gladiolus cultivars under the Gangetic plateau of West Bengal conditions

This experiment was carried out in the Green net house at the College of Agriculture and Forestry for the period from April to September 2019, with the aim of assessing the response of three cultivars of Gladiolus X hortulanus L. for treatment with (SA) at a concentrations of zero and 250 mg.l -1 as well as treatment with (CaCl2) concentrations are zero, 500 and 1000 mg.l -1 sprayed on the vegetative growth twice. The results indicated the following: The red cultivar recorded the largest height, the number of leaves, shortest the period from planting to the inflorescence bud initiation and longest vase life, While the white cultivar recorded the largest value of spike length. The plants sprayed with SA had a significant effect in recording the largest values of all studied traits except for the duration from planting to the inflorescence bud initiation, which decreased significantly. The treatment with CaCl2 with both concentrations resulted in a significant increase in the number of leaves and the spike length, The treatment with CaCl2 at 1000 mg.l -1 gave the largest values for the plant height and the vase life. showed that red and white cultivars produced flower that fall within a special grade when they were sprayed with SA or did not interact with spraying with CaCl2 at 1000 mg.l -1 , while the violet cultivar ended their flowering 5 days when they were sprayed with SA interact with CaCl2 at 1000 mg.l -l .

/pdf/effect-of-foliar-application-of-calcium-chloride-and-2xp9402ppw.pdf

Ammar Omar AL-Atrakchii

Papers

EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF CALCIUM CHLORIDE AND SALICYLIC ACID ON GROWTH AND FLOWERING OF THREE Gladiolus X hortulanus L. CULTIVARS.