Pure Appl. Biol., 12(2):1201-1213, June, 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2023.120123 Published by Bolan Society for Pure and Applied Biology 1201 Research Article Effect of different dates on the growth and flower production of gladiolus (Gladiolus hortulanus) under the agro-climatic condition of Quetta, Balochistan Syed Muhammad Ishaq l , Fazal Muhammad Bangulzai 1* , Muhammad Abuzar Jaffar 2 , Sher Muhammad Lehri 1 , Ghulam Rasool Bangulzai 1 , Muhammad Ejaz 1 , Naseer Ahmed Shawani 1 , Lal Bakhsh 1 and Muhammad Ramzan 2 1. Agriculture Research Institute (A.R.I) Sariab Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan 2. Lasbela University of Water & Marine Sciences Uthal. Balochistan, Pakistan *Corresponding author’s email: fazalbangulzai786@gmail.com Citation Syed Muhammad Ishaq, Fazal Muhammad Bangulzai, Muhammad Abuzar Jaffar, Sher Muhammad Lehri, Ghulam Rasool Bangulzai, Muhammad Ejaz, Naseer Ahmed Shawani, Lal Bakhsh and Muhammad Ramzan. Effect of different dates on the growth and flower production of gladiolus ( Gladiolus hortulanus) under the agro-climatic condition of Quetta, Balochistan. Pure and Applied Biology. Vol. 12, Issue 2, pp1201-1213. http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2023.120123 Received: 17/03/2023 Revised: 24/05/2023 Accepted: 27/05/2023 Online First: 31/05/2023 Abstract This study was carried out in the experimental and demonstration orchard of Directorate Agriculture Research Fruit ARI sariab Quetta during the year 2018 to evaluate the impact of different planting dates on the growth and flowering of gladiolus under agro-climatic condition of Quetta. The field trial was conducted Randomized complete block design with four replications. Gladiolus corms were sown with fifteen days interval, the corms were sown as following dates. T1= 2 nd March, T2= 17 th March, T3= 1 st April, T4= 16 th April and T5=1 st May. The results of planting time showed significant (P<0.05) effect on growth and flowering of gladiolus except for floret size. Gladiolus planted on 1 st April (T3) showed the best performance as resulted minimum (10.25) days to initiate sprouting, Maximum (9.58) leave plant -1 , Maximum (116.83cm) plant height, maximum (1.5) corns plant -1 , Maximum (22.95) corm lets plant -1 and maximum (1.5) spikes plant -1 and least (1.25) equally in T4 and T 5 sowing. Gladiolus in (T2) planted second fortnight of March also showed good results, Minimum (81.8) days to open 1 st floret, highest (6.9 cm) corm diameter and maximum (116.56 g) corm weight and least (75.45 g) gladiolus planted in T5.. It was concluded that the best gladiolus performance was witnessed with (T3) 1 st April and (T2) second fortnight of March and these sowing dates could be an optimum planting time of gladiolus under agro-climatic conditions of Quetta. Keywords: Climatic condition; Flower Production; Gladiolus; Growth; Planting dates Introduction Gladiolus (Gladiolus hortulanus) popularly known as "Sword Lily" is an Ornamental cormelous plant native to South Africa. It belongs to monocot family Iridaceae, having approximately one hundred and fifty known species [1]. This plant is commercially used for cutting flowers and occasionally used for