QUALITY SEED PRODUCTION OF PARENTAL LINE OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITS MOSCHATA L.) UNDER INSECT PROOF NET HOUSE

Abstract

The consistent supply of quality seed of parental lines is the key factor in the successful hybrid seed production. Since, the limited supply of quality seed of parental lines is considered as the limiting factor in popularizing the F1 hybrids and harnessing their higher yield potential. The growing of parental line in open field, an isolation of 1000 m is essentially pre requisite of pumpkin cultivation. Pumpkin is insect pollinated due to its large attractive yellow flower and presence of nectaries hence, to attain high genetic purity of the parental line seed. Secondly the high incidence of red pumpkin beetle in early growth period, fruit fly at fruit development stage and fruit rot during maturation period are the major challenges in organizing successful seed production programme of parental line. The sharp rise in temperature during fruit development in May greatly influence the fruit set, fruit development, seed yield and quality produce. Hence, the present investigation were planned and carried out to explore the possibility of growing of parental lines for quality seed production of pumpkin variety Pusa Hybrid-1 under insect proof net house and open field during summer season (15 th Feb to June) of the year 2008 at Centre for Protected Cultivation Technology (CPCT) and Seed Production Unit at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi (India). The experimental results showed that fruit development attributes (fruit weight, fruit length, Fruit width, flesh thickness and cavity size) among female and male parental lines were significantly superior in insect proof net house compared to the open field. The seed yield contributing characters viz., total seed per fruit, filled seed per fruit, seed yield per fruit and 100 seed weight were recorded significantly higher in insect proof net house than the open field in both the parental lines. The superior performance of seed quality characters i.e. germination (%), seedling length, seedling dry weight and vigor index were noted in insect proof net house grown seed in comparison to open field. Therefore, it can be concluded from the above the investigation that seed production of parental line of pumpkin variety Pusa Hybrid-I can be organized successfully under insect proof net house with higher level of seed yield and quality attributes. This also helps in minimizing the use of pesticides and stability of seed production of parental lines by way of reducing the environmental risk under insect proof net house.