Standardization of EF polymer as potting media for roof top cultivation of ridge gourd

Abstract

The present study reports that EF polymer in potting media for rooftop cultivation of ridge gourds bestows myriads effect on growth, yield, and quality in ridge gourd plants. Here in media of sand + vermicompost + EF polymer + cocopeat + vermiculite and perlite (3:2.5:2:2:0.5) had significant effect on vine length (426.5 cm), number of branches per vine (14.66), early flowering (35.6 days), early picking (95 days), duration of flowering (155.67 days), maximum fruit length (22.3 cm), fruit diameter (4.2 cm) and fruit yield (680.66 gm). Similarly, it influences quality parameters such as TSS (4.2°Brix), total sugar (9.15 mg/100 g), protein content (1.39 mg/100 g), vitamin C (4.34 mg/100 g), reducing sugar (6.58 mg/100 g), available of nitrogen (0.86%), phosphorus (0.704%) and potassium (1.87%) in leaf as compared to control. Moreover, EF polymer in potting media acts as bio stimulant to stimulate the nitrogen content and influence photosynthetic efficiency in ridge gourd.