Abstract
The Japanese pumpkin known as "Tetsukabuto" is the result of crossing selected lines of squash. Squashes are highly susceptible to weed interference due to slow initial growth, requiring more considerable attention as to their control. Studies focusing on the losses caused by weeds to Japanese pumpkin hybrids are scarce. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of weed control on the fruit yield of Japanese pumpkin hybrid cultivars. A randomized block design with four replications in a 3x4 factorial scheme was used. Three cultivars (Corina F1, Triunfo F1, and Takayama F1) and four weed control periods, without weed control, weed control from 0 to 30 and from 0 to 60 days after transplanting (DAT), and weed control throughout the crop cycle (continuous control) were evaluated. The harvest was carried out at 105 DAT, and it was evaluated population density of the weed community, yield, fruit diameter, fruit fresh mass, number of fruits per plant, pulp thickness, and internal fruit cavity thickness. The weed control from 0 to 60 DAT and continuous weed control resulted in the lowest weed population density and weed dry matter. The weed control from 0 to 60 DAT provided a higher number of fruits per plant, fruit diameter, fruit fresh mass, and thicker pulp. The highest development and fruit yield of Japanese pumpkin hybrids was observed when the plants were free from weed interference until 60 days after transplanting.
Highlights
Pumpkin and squash are a species of the Cucurbitaceae family, belonging to the genus Cucurbita, composed of 15 species, which are widely known and cultivated worldwide
The hybrid pumpkin is known as 'Tetsukabuto', popularly called Japanese pumpkin or Cabotiá, which is a hybrid resulting from the crossing between selected lines of Cucurbita maxima Duch., adopted as female parents, and lines of C. moschata Duch. as male parents
The crop fertilization was carried out based on the results of soil chemical analysis and following the recommendations for the pumpkin Tetsukabuto, according to Trani et al (2014)
Summary
Pumpkin and squash are a species of the Cucurbitaceae family, belonging to the genus Cucurbita, composed of 15 species, which are widely known and cultivated worldwide. They are widely consumed because they are considered rich sources of retinol, provitamin A, carbohydrates, B vitamins, calcium, iron, and phosphorus (Priori et al, 2013). The Japanese pumpkin has agronomic qualities such as precocity, rusticity, uniformity, high production potential, organoleptic quality (texture, flavor, thick and lean pulp, low fiber content, reduced cooking time), and prolonged post-harvest conservation. Its fruits that weigh an average of 2.0 kg, and can reach 3.0 kg, have dark green skin, rounded to slightly flattened shape, being attractive and preferred by the consumer (Nascimento et al, 2011)
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