Impact of pinching on growth, flowering and early season fruit yield of bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.

Abstract

A study to assess the “impact of pinching on the growth, flowering, and early season fruit yield of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.)” was conducted during the kharif season of 2022 at two locations: Punjab Agricultural University - Vegetable Research Farm in Ludhiana (L1) and Regional Research Station in Abohar (L2). The study employed a randomized block design, consisting of three replications, and encompassed nine distinct pinching treatments, which included: no pinching (T1), pinching on a main branch at 2nd node (T2), pinching on main and lateral branches at 2nd node (T3), pinching on the main branch at 4th node (T4), pinching on the main branch and lateral branches at 4th node (T5), pinching on main branch at 6th node (T6), pinching on the main branch and lateral branches at 6th node (T7), pinching on a main branch at 8th node (T8) and pinching on the main branch and lateral branches at 8th node (T9). Pinching treatment was given at the main branch and lateral branches of bottle gourd vines in each plot according to the assigned treatments. The results revealed that pinched plants on the main branch and lateral branches at 6th node (T7) remarkably increased the number of branches (7.36), female flowers (24.35), days taken to first male flower appearance (49.18) and early season fruit yield (188.89 q ha-1) whereas it reduced vine growth (383.17 cm), days taken to first female flower appearance (53.97), number of male flowers (121.69) and narrow sex ratio (5.0). According to the findings from the present study, it was observed that pinching on both the main and lateral branches at the 6th node (T7) demonstrated the most favorable growth, flowering, and early-season fruit yield of bottle gourd.