Effect of exogenous application of plant growth regulators on yield and quality attributes of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.)

Abstract

An experiment was carried out on “Effect of Exogenous Application of Plant Growth Regulators on Growth, Yield and Quality of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria L.)” at Experimental Field, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Indore, (M.P.), India during kharif season 2023-2024. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with thirteen treatments and three replications. The treatments consist of two growth regulators viz., Ethrel (250 ppm and 500 ppm) and Salicylic Acid (0.5 mM and 1.0 mM) sprayed at three different growth stages viz., 2-4 leaf stage, vine initiation stage and flowering stage. The results indicated significant variability among the treatments for various yield and quality traits. SA (1.0 mM) at flowering stage was found best in increasing fruit weight, fruit length and fruit diameter, chlorophyll content index and total soluble solids while the minimum physiological loss in weight was also recorded in SA (1.0 mM) at flowering stage. The maximum leaf area index was recorded in Ethrel @ 500 ppm at vine initiation. Ethrel (500 ppm) at vine initiation was found best in terms of number of fruits, yield per plant, yield per plot and yield per hectare as well as economics of Bottle gourd.