In a first, SQU researchers grow Gladiolus in Oman

Muscat: A research team from the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has for the first time succeeded in growing Gladiolus plant in a greenhouse.

The effort was part of an intensive research on a number of cut flowers with the objective to improve the techniques of local production as also to cut import of the flowers from abroad.

The project to introduce cut followers as a new agricultural crop has already commenced and planting of cut flowers on a bigger scale would help boost the agricultural sector.

At present, vegetables dominate production in greenhouses in the Sultanate of Oman and inclusion of cut flowers in the list of agricultural crops would, besides bringing variety, boost income in the agricultural sector.

Oman imported cut flowers worth $5.52 million during 2018. Gladiolus flower, also known as ‘Sword Lily’, belongs to the iris family and is used for internal décor, besides other usages.

The research team comprised Dr. Mohammed Mumtaz Khan, Walid Mubarak Al Busaidi, Abdullah Omar Al Farsi and Maryam Ismail Al Zaidi from the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University. 

With ONA inputs