Flowering and fruiting behaviour of Bottle gourd as influenced by off-season cultivation under poly film in low tunnel

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to determine the flowering and fruiting behavior of bottle gourd var Punjab Komal during off season cultivation under low tunnel. The experiment was laid in randomized block design with seven treatments in three replications. The treatments comprised the seven dates of sowings i.e., 15th November and 30th November under low tunnel, 15th and 30th December under tunnel, 1st February, 15th February and 1st March in open field. Results were found to be significant in most of the flowering and yield contributing parameters of bottle gourd. Fruit girth (8.65 cm), fruit per plant (8.91), yield per plant (3.68 kg), yield per hectare (606.55 quintal), net income (Rs. 341865) and cost benefit ratio (1:3.38) were maximum when the date of sowing was 30th November under low tunnel. Meanwhile number of days taken to first female flower, and first harvest were the minimum when the date of sowing was 30th November under low tunnel. The results suggested that bottle gourd cultivation under poly tunnel accounted for increment in fruit yield and induced precocity due to raised temperature during flowering stage and fruit set. Bottle gourd has high market value in off-season, when crop was sown on 30th November under low tunnel.