Studies on the Dormancy of Bulbs and Corms : II.Effect of Calcium Cyanamide and Benzyl Adenine on the Corms and Cormels of Freesia and Gladiolus

In this experiment, effects of calcium cyanamide and benzyl adenine (BA) on the breaking of dormancy of corms and cormels of freesia and gladiolus were compared, and also effects of such chemicals on the flowering behaviour after sprouting were studied in freesia. The results obtained are summarized as follows. 1. Both corms and cormels of freesia showed larger sprouting percentage and less mean sprouting, days by soaking in calcium cyanamide or BA solution, and calcium cyanamide was more effective than BA. 2 . Hulled cormels of gladiolus showed larger sprouting percentage and less mean sprou. Ting days by soaking in calcium cyanamide, BA and Ethrel solution than in water, and among these three chemicals BA was the most effective, calcium cyanamide followed and Ethrel was the last. 3 . Corms of freesia showed larger flowering percentage and/or earlier mean flowering time by soaking in calcium cyanamide and BA solution, and the effects were larger in calcium cyanamide than in BA. (Received July 1 , 1974)