Vine Length Research Articles

Optimizing Sponge Gourd Cultivation: Effects of Chemical Hybridizing Agents on Morphological Traits and Flower Development

The study investigates the effects of various chemical hybridizing agents (CHAs) on the morphological traits of Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) over two growing seasons (2023-2024 and 2024-2025) at the Vegetable Research Centre, JNKVV, Jabalpur. The research primarily focuses on vine length, number of primary branches, internodal length, nodes per vine, and flower development stages. Statistical analysis of the collected data reveals that the application of CHAs significantly enhances vine length at 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting (DAT), with the highest growth observed in treatments involving GA3 (200 ppm) and Sulphonyl Urea (0.4 ml/L). Notably, vine lengths reached up to 6.88 m at final harvest for the most effective treatments. Furthermore, the number of primary branches and nodes per vine also increased substantially with CHA application, particularly with GA3 and Sulphonyl Urea. The timing of flower appearance was influenced by these treatments as well, with earlier flowering noted in Ethrel-treated plants. The study concludes that strategic application of CHAs can significantly improve growth parameters and flowering dynamics in Sponge gourd cultivation, suggesting potential for enhanced yield and agricultural practices. This research contributes valuable insights for horticulturists aiming to optimize growth conditions for this economically important crop.

Assessment of Genetic Variability, Heritability and Genetic Advance for Yield and Related Traits in Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch ex Poir)

A study on pumpkin genotypes was conducted at Vegetable Research Farm of Banda University of Agriculture and Technology during the 2022 Kharif season. This study aimed to assess genetic variability, genotype performance, variation coefficients, heritability, and percentage genetic advance for pumpkin genotypes. Genetic variability, heritability, and genetic advance are critical parameters in plant breeding, as they help identify traits with potential for improvement through selection. This experiment was conducted in a Randomized Block Design with three replications to evaluate 18 pumpkin genotypes. The mean sum of squares attributed to genotypes exhibited significant differences (p < 0.01) across all characters, indicating pronounced genetic variability. Furthermore, phenotypic (PCV) and genotypic (GCV) coefficients of variation were remarkably high for most quantitative traits male/female bud ratio (PCV=37.90% and GCV=37.65%) followed by pericarp/seed ball ratio (PCV=31.39% and GCV= 31.07%) fruit yield (PCV=27.48% and GCV= 26.22%), vine length (PCV=22.14% and GCV=21.85%) and leaf area (PCV=20.73% and GCV=20.31%). The investigation demonstrated high heritability (h²) and genetic advance (GA) for the majority of assessed traits namely male/female bud ratio (98.65%) followed by pericarp/seed ball ratio (98.02%), vine length (97.35%), leaf area (95.95%). The genotypes VRPK-22-04, Kashi Harit and Arka Chandan exhibited superior yield performance. Notably, VRPK-2201 and VRPK-02-07 exhibited early maturity and reasonable yields, rendering them suitable cultivars for the Bundelkhand region.

Study on characters associations and path coefficient analysis for yield and quality traits of parthenocarpic cucumber genotypes in poly-net house conditions

Parthenocarpy in cucumber is a complex trait regulated by various genes and phytohormones. It is an important feature which helps to overcome the problem of poor fruit setting in cucumbers. The present research was conducted to estimate the variability, correlation and path analysis in 15 yield and quality traits using 30 advance breeding parthenocarpic lines including standard check ‘Punjab Kheera 1’. The genetic variability studies reported high estimates of phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variation for number of fruits set per node and number of fruits per plant which signified the improvement of these traits with selection. High to moderate heritability and genetic gains were observed for fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, internodal length, vine length, number of female flowers per node, number of fruits set per node, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plant, and vitamin C content of fruit. The correlation and path analyses provided a clear picture that there was direct and positive effect of fruit weight, number of fruits per plant, number of fruits set per node, fruit length, vitamin C, flesh to seed cavity ratio, and pistil length on fruit yield per plant.

Growth and yield responses of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis hook F.) to mulching and varying seed sizes in Nsukka Enugu State Nigeria

This experiment studied the effects of seed weight and mulching material on the growth and productivity of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis), an important leafy vegetable crop widely cultivated in southern Nigeria. The study aimed to optimize the conditions for improved fluted pumpkin cultivation in Nsukka area of Enugu State, Nigeria. A field experiment with a 2 x 3 factorial in randomized complete block design (RCBD) was conducted to evaluating two factors: seed weight (1-9.9g vs >10g) and mulching material (dry grass, black polyethylene sheet, and no mulch). Parameters measured included vine length, number of nodes and leaves, vine girth, survival count, and above-ground biomass at 5, 7, and 9 weeks after planting. The results showed that while mulch type did not significantly influence the measured agronomic parameters, seed size had a considerable impact. Larger seeds (>10g) consistently outperformed smaller seeds across all growth parameters, with significant differences observed in survival count and vegetative traits. The interaction effects revealed synergistic benefits when combining larger seeds with polyethylene mulch, enhancing leaf production, node development, and vine extension. Additionally, the combination of larger seeds with shredded grass mulch boosted vine girth and biomass accumulation, likely due to improved soil moisture conditions. The study recommends utilizing larger Telfairia seeds (>10g) in combination with shredded grass mulch to maximize vegetative growth development and yield. These findings provide practical recommendations to local farmers for optimizing seed quality and mulching practices in fluted pumpkin cultivation in Nsukka and regions with similar agro-ecological conditions.

Genetic analysis for forage yield and quality characters in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)

This study was carried out to determine the combining ability of forage yield, its components and quality traits among crosses derived from nine selected cowpea parents. About 36 crosses were generated from diallel crosses, excluding reciprocals. These crosses and nine parents were evaluated for combining ability for forage yield, its components and quality traits. The results indicated that parent 85-5E was the best combiner for green fodder yield, dry matter yield, leaf length, leaf breadth, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, crude protein content and in-vitro dry matter digestibility. Similarly, parent FOS 1 proved to be the best combiner for vine length, number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, crude protein content and in-vitro dry matter digestibility. The crosses involving FOS 1 x CL 398, CL 391 x C 88, FOS 1 x C 74, CL 396 x CL 391 and FOS 1 x C 88 were the best specific combiner for green fodder yield and most of its components traits. The ratio of gca/sca values was greater than unity for most of the forage and quality traits, inferring that additive gene action played an important role in their inheritance. In contrast, for traits like vine length, dry matter yield, crude protein content, and in-vitro dry matter digestibility, the above-said ratio was less than unity, indicating non-additive gene action played an important role. So, to utilize both additive and non-additive gene effects, modification of conventional breeding methods such as bi-parental breeding or reciprocal recurrent selection will be the better choice for initiating any cowpea breeding program.

Growth and yield of eight sweet potato accessions in red yellow podsolic soil

Sweet potatoes are included in the group of tubers that have considerable potential as a source of substitution food. This is because sweet potatoes contain a number of minerals and nutrients that are no less important than rice and corn and which are quite potential as food diversification and agro-industry materials. Sweet potatoes include plants that have high diversity, judging from the leaves and tubers. Each genetic variety has its own specific character of each variety. The development of tubers will be hampered when planted on heavy clay soils and poor soil physical properties, so that it can reduce yields and the shape of the tubers is often lumpy - lumps and high fiber content.The purpose of this study is to obtain sweet potato accession that provides the best growth potential and yield on red yellow podzolic soils.The research has been carried out in the Experimental Garden of the Faculty of Agriculture, Tanjungpura University Pontianak which lasted for 3 months. This study used a Complete Randomized Design (RAL) consisting of 8 treatments with 3 repeats and 3 samples in each treatment so that 72 experimental units were obtained. There were eight sweet potato accessions, namely A1= (ARF 01 accession), A2= (ARF 02 accession), A3= (ARF 03 accession), A4= (ARF 05 accession), A5= (ARF 06 accession), A6= (ARF 08 accession), A7= (ARF 09 accession), and A8= (ARF 10 accession). The variables observed in this study were the length of the main vine, the number of branches, the fresh weight of the top of the plant, the dry weight of the plant, the number of tubers per plant, the diameter of the tubers, the length of the bulbs, the weight of the tubers per plant and the sugar content. The variables observed in this study were the length of the main vine, the number of branches, the fresh weight of the top of the plant, the dry weight of the plant, the number of tubers per plant, the diameter of the tubers, the length of the bulbs, the weight of the tubers per plant and the sugar content. The results showed that ARF-08 accession had the longest tendril length (132.44 cm), ARF-10 accession has the heaviest plant top weight (458.89 g) and heaviest plant dry weight (65.27 g), ARF-08 accession has the largest tuber diameter (43.09 mm) and heaviest tuber weight per plant (598.01 g).

Influence of Organic Nutrient on Growth Pattern, Flowering and Biochemical Profiling in Bottle Gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.] Var. Kashi Ganga

The present investigation entitled Influence of Organic Nutrient on Growth Pattern, Flowering and Biochemical Profiling in Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria)(Mol.)Standl.)Var. Kashi Ganga" was carried out with title at Organic Research Farm (ORF), Department of Horticulture, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Bundelkhand University, Karguanji, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh during the Kharif-2022 with a view to identify the effects of different combinations of organic nutrition and its role in growth, yield and quality of Bottle gourd variety Kashi Ganga. The experiment was laid in Randomized block design with 8 treatments and 3 replications. Based on above experimental finding it may be concluded that the treatment T7 (33% Farmyard Manure + 33% Poultry Manure + 33% Vermicompost) was found to be best in the terms of morphological characters viz., Vine length (3.33m), number of branches (5.30), days to male flowering (34.76 days), days to female flowering (44.17 days) and days to first fruit picking (75.92 days) yield and quality of Bottle gourd. While the highest net return was found in the T7 and the highest B:C ratio was found in the same with 6.10.

Effects of Four Different Levels of Goat Manure on Growth and Yield of Christmas Melon (Laganaria breviflorus) in Abraka, Delta State, Nigeria

The present study was carried out at the Experimental Farm of Delta State University, Abraka in 2022 and repeated in the 2023 planting season to assess the effects of four different levels of goat manure on the growth and yield of Christmas melon (L. breviflorus) in Abraka area of Delta State, Nigeria. It was a randomized complete block experiment with three replicates. Rates of goat manure applied in tons per hectare were 0, 5, 10 and 15, while the parameters investigated were initial soil physicochemical properties, vine length, number of leaves/plant, number of branches/plant and weight of fruits of Christmas melon obtained after maturity. The study results showed that the parameters assessed were significantly influenced by the application of goat manure, except for the number of branches/plants. At 5, 10 and 15 weeks after planting, plants with a manure application rate of 15that-1 were superior to other treatments. Based on the study's findings, it is recommended that farmers in the study area apply 15that-1 of goat manure for increased growth and yield of Christmas melon.

EFFECT OF P FERTILIZER DOSAGE AND MYCORRHIZA ON THE GROWTH OF LEGUME COVER CROP (Callopogonium Mucunoides) IN LATOSOL SOIL

Calopogonium mucunoides was a type of LCC that is often used in oil palm plantations. This plant was useful for preserving the soil surface, reducing soil temperature, and increasing soil fertility. This LCC plant was able to fix nitrogen by producing large amounts of organic matter and increase soil fertility through the use of rhizobium in plant root nodules. This study aimed to determine the optimal dose for the growth of Calopogonium mucunoides and the effect of P fertilizer and mycorrhiza. This study used a two-factor randomized complete block design (CRD). The first factor was TSP fertilizer (0 g, 2 g, 4 g) the second factor was mycorrhiza (0 g, 10 g, 20 g). The parameters observed were plant height, number of leaves, vine length, plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight and number of root nodules. The results showed that the dose of TSP fertilizer had no significant effect on all parameters, while the application of mycorrhiza had a significant effect on the number of leaves, fresh weight of roots, and the number of root nodules. Plant height, number of leaves, and vine length were best achieved with a dose of 2 grams of TSP fertilizer and 20 grams of mycorrhiza. In the parameters of plant fresh weight, plant dry weight, root fresh weight, root dry weight, and number of root nodules, the best was achieved by applying a dose of 0 grams of TSP fertilizer and 20 grams of mycorrhiza. From this study, it is suspected that the application of mycorrhizal organic fertilizer can complement the important role of inorganic TSP fertilizer

甘薯切蔓机关键部件设计及试验研究

In response to technical challenges such as the difficulty in cutting long sweet potato vines in ridge furrows, low stem crushing rate, long stubble residues, and sweet high potato damage rate with the direct shredding and returning machine for sweet potato vines, this study conducted research on ridge furrow long vine removal and crushing technology, as well as optimization experiments on operating parameters. A ridge furrow boot-type vine picking knife structure, a "dynamic embedding static" shaft end anti-entanglement mechanism, and a ridge-like crushing chamber structure were designed. A high-efficiency sweet potato vine shredding and returning machine was developed, with ridge surface vine length qualification rate and ridge top stubble height as the main control indicators. The study conducted a 3-factor, 3-level orthogonal experiment in typical regions to analyze the factors of machine forward speed, knife roller speed, and ground clearance height, which significantly influence the performance. The results indicate that the optimal working parameters for the sweet potato vine cutting machine are a knife roller speed of 2000 r/min, a forward speed of 0.6 m s-1, and a ground clearance height of 10 mm. The vine crushing length qualification rate reached 94%, and the stubble height of 5.3 cm exceeded the various indicators, meeting the agricultural requirements for sweet potato harvesting.

NITROGEN PRIMING SOURCES AFFECT THE SEED GERMINATION, GROWTH AND FRUIT ATTRIBUTES OF BITTER GOURD

The production of bitter gourd is often hampered by low seed germination rates due to its hard seed coat, which leads to sluggish seed germination, poor stand establishment, and yield losses. Nutrient seed priming has emerged as a promising technique to overcome these challenges by enhancing seed vigor and germination performance, hence explored in bitter gourd. The study pursued a thorough assessment of the effects of seed priming with nitrogen sources (Urea and KNO3) on germination, growth, fruit characteristics, and shelf life of bitter gourd cultivars (Fighter and Palee). The treatments included unprimed seeds (Control), seed priming with tap water, seed priming with urea solution (1% and 2%), and seed priming with KNO3 solution (1% and 2%). The results revealed that priming with KNO3 at 2% concentration emerged as the superior treatment across multiple growth parameters, yielding the highest germination rate (85.40%), longest vine length (179.34 cm), and most abundant leaf count vine-1 (298.89). This priming also led to a significant reduction in days to flowering and enhanced the fruiting phase, resulting in earlier fruit development (59.53 days), increased fruit length (22.80 cm), and the highest single fruit weight (104.87 g). The priming with KNO3 at 2% also showed promising results for fruit shelf-life characteristics and improved shelf life (6.07 days) and minimal weight loss (4.61%). Between the two varieties, 'Palee' consistently outperformed 'Fighter,' showcasing superior performance for all the attributes observed in the study. These findings highlight the significant role of priming in enhancing the germination, fruit characteristics and shelf life of bitter gourd.

Effects of Poultry Manure on Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Production and Insect Infestation in a Humid Ecological Zone

A field trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of poultry manure (PM) on the growth, yield, and infestation of insect pests of watermelon. There were five treatments namely; 1.25 tons of PM ha-1, 2.5 tons of PM ha-1, 5 tons of PM ha-1, 300kg of NPK ha-1, and an untreated control with three replications, which were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Data on vine length, stem girth, number of leaves, fruit weight, days to 50% emergence, days to 50% flowering, and number of insects were recorded. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the vine length, stem girth, number of leaves, fruit weight, and 50% emergence. However, there were significant differences in vine length at week 3 and week 4, stem girth at week 3, 50% days to flowering, and week 1 for insect population between the 1.25 tons of PM ha-1 and control. The study showed that C. lanatus can be economically grown in the humid ecological zone (October-January) and poultry manure at the rate of 1.25 tons of PM ha-1 was optimal for its cultivation

Reduction of Potassium Supply Alters the Production and Quality Traits of Ipomoea batatas cv. BAU Sweetpotato-5 Tubers

In Bangladesh, sweetpotato is the fourth most important source of carbohydrates behind rice, wheat, and potatoes. Potassium is vital for sweetpotato growth, boosting tuber size, sweetness, disease resistance, and yield quality, with deficiencies leading to poor tuber formation and increased stress susceptibility. The present study evaluated the effect of varying dosages of potassium fertilizer (Muriate of Potash, MoP) on the growth, yield, and biochemical qualities of sweetpotato. As a genetic material, BAU sweetpotato-5 was chosen as it is recognized for its high yield, short duration, and nutritional advantages. There were three treatments—full dosage of MoP (321.6 kg ha−1, T0), half dosage of MoP (160.8 kg ha−1, T1) and no MoP (T2). Four replications of a randomized complete block design (RCBD) were used in the experiment. According to analysis of variance, the morphological and biochemical parameters, such as the fresh weight plant−1, number of tuber plant−1, chlorophyll content, total phenolic content, vitamin C, carotenoid, anthocyanin, Zn, and Fe content varied significantly among treatments. The application of the full recommended dosage of MoP resulted in the highest values for several traits, including the fresh weight plant−1, number of tuber plant−1, chlorophyll content, carotenoid, anthocyanin, and Fe content. Conversely, total phenolic content and vitamin C were highest without MoP application. Principal component analysis (PCA) differentiated treatment T0 from T1 and T2 due to higher positive coefficients of the number of leaves at 115 days after transplantation, vine length at 115 days after transplantation, number of branches, stem diameter, fresh weight plant−1, tuber length, tuber diameter, tuber weight, number of tuber plant−1, SPAD, carotenoid, anthocyanin, Fe, and negative coefficients of total phenolic content, vitamin C, and Zn. The findings suggest that potassium is integral to maximizing both yield and key nutritional components in sweetpotato cultivation.

Character Association and Path Analysis in Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) for Yield and Its Attributes

The field experiment was carried out in Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture at Banda University of Agriculture and Technology during kharif to evaluate the 15 bitter gourd genotypes with three replications in randomized block design were to correlation and path coefficient for yield and its component traits. At phenotypic level fruit yield per plot displayed positive and highly significant correlation with internodal length, number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, fruit length, vine length and number of primary branches per plant. At genotypic level fruit yield per plot exhibited positive and significant correlation with number of primary branches per plant, intermodal length, number of fruits per plant, vine length, average fruit weight and fruit length. Path analysis at phenotypic level have highest positive direct effect on yield per plot was exerted by average fruit weight followed by number of fruits per plant, days to first male flower anthesis, node number to first pistillate flower, fruit length, intermodal length and node number to first stamin ate flower. At genotypic level, highest positive direct effect on yield per plot was exerted by average fruit weight followed by number of fruits per plant, internodal length, node number to first pistillate flower, TSS and days to first female flower anthesis.

Effect of Organic Nutrients and Zinc Biofortification on Growth and Yield of Sponge Gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.) CV. Mahy Harita

A field experiment was carried out at Orchard, Department of Horticulture, Annamalai University, Faculty of Agriculture, TamilNadu during 2023-2024. The experiment was laid out in RBD with fifteen treatments in three replications. The organic manures used in the experiment were farm yard manure (25 t ha-1) and enriched manure (1 t ha-1) as soil application along with consortium biofertilizer (2 kg ha-1) and foliar application of biostimulants viz., panchagavya (3%), sea weed extract (3%) and effective microbial inoculants (2%). The zinc in the form of Bacillus subtilis @ 10 and 20g was applied as soil application. The results of the experiment revealed that the growth parameters viz., vine length, number of leaves, leaf length, leaf breadth and leaf area were recorded the highest in the treatment that received the application of farmyard manure 25 t ha-1combined with panchagavya (3%) as foliar application and Bacillus subtilis @ 20g. The yield attributes viz., the highest number of fruits plant-1, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, fruit yield plant-1 and the zinc uptake in fruit were registered in the treatment which received the application of enriched manure @1 t ha1 combined with panchagavya (3%) as foliar application and Bacillus subtilis @ 20g (T11) respectively.

Performance Studies of Ridge Gourd (Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.) Genotypes for Growth and Yield Parameters

Ridge gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.)] commonly known as kalitori, angled gourd, angled loofah, silky gourd and ribbed gourd, belongs to Cucurbitaceae family with chromosome number 2n = 26. The current experiment was conducted at the College of Horticulture, Bagalkot, Karnataka during the Rabi- Summer season of 2023–2024 to evaluate thirty-eight different genotypes of ridge gourd. The experiment had two replications and was set up using a randomized complete block design. Analysis of variance showed that existence of high degree of variability among the genotypes. On the basis of mean performance, Hireharukuni local performed better for parameters like vine length (501.25 cm), number of primary branches per vine (4.08), node at first female flower (7.17), days to first harvest (55.18) and yield parameters with highest yield of 3.86kg/vine.

Evaluation of Growth and Yield of Vertically Trained Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] under Different Levels of Spacing, Training and Pruning under Rain Shelter

This study investigated the effects of spacing, training and pruning on the growth and yield of watermelon hybrid ‘Saraswati’ trained vertically under rain shelter. The treatments were factorial combinations of three planting densities (1.50 m × 0.60 m, 1.50 m × 0.45 m and 1.50 m × 0.30 m), two training levels (nipping to one vine, nipping to two vines) and two pruning heights (pruned at 2m and unpruned) arranged in randomized block design with two replications and control with horizontal training of vines in open condition. Spacing, training and pruning levels had varying influence on growth and yield parameters of vertically trained watermelon. Wider spacing of 1.5 m x 0.6 m recorded the highest vine length, highest fruit weight and yield per plant (6.82 kg). Earliness in days to flowering as well as node number was observed in widely spaced plants trained to single vine. Plants trained to two vines exhibited the highest number of fruits per plant, yield per plant and yield per plot. Unpruned plants trained to two vines at closer spacing of 1.50 m × 0.30 m recorded the highest number of fruits per plant and yield per plot (90.10 kg).

Productivity Of Citrullus Lanatus As Affected By Cowdung-Poultry Droppings (COPODS), Spacing And Variety In Gashua, Nigeria

This research aimed to examine the influence of varying levels of cow dung-poultry droppings (COPODs) and plant spacing on the growth and yield of different watermelon varieties. Four COPOD levels ([without COPODs], [4t + 1t COPODs], [8t + 2t COPODs], and [12t + 3t COPODs]), four plant spacing options (25, 50, 75, and 100 cm), and four watermelon varieties (Sugar baby, Koalack, Royal sweet, and Paradise) were combined in a factorial experiment to assess their effects on key growth metrics, including vine length, leaf production, fruit weight, and yield. The study found that increasing levels of COPODs and wider plant spacing significantly promoted vine length, leaf production, fruit weight, and overall yield. Among the varieties tested, Koalack demonstrated the most vigorous growth, although differences between varieties were not always statistically significant. While interactions between COPODs, spacing, and variety generally did not produce significantly different outcomes, there were notable interactions between COPODs and spacing, as well as between spacing and variety. These results highlight the importance of organic fertilization and appropriate plant spacing in enhancing the growth and yield of watermelon varieties. The findings suggest that adopting a combination of wider planting distances and adequate applications of COPODs can be a valuable strategy for maximizing watermelon production

Effect of Biostimulants on Plant Growth and Leaf Functional Compounds of Passiflora Plants

The influence of biostimulant treatments on Passiflora species was assessed by observing changes in the growth and leaf functional compounds of plants exposed to humic acids (HAs) and seaweed extracts (SEs) to determine their optimal application doses. Four different concentrations of HA irrigation (0, 144, 192, and 285 mg·L−1 per pot assigned as HI-1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), HA spraying (0, 96, 128, and 192 mg·L−1 as HS-1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively), SE irrigation (SI-1∼4 at 0, 1, 1.33, and 2 g·L−1 per pot, respectively), and SE spraying (SS-1∼4 at 0, 0.5, 0.67, and 1 g·L−1, respectively) treatments were applied to ‘Tainung No. 1’ and Passiflora suberosa cultivars every week to study their responses in plant growth traits and metabolites. Results show that leaf dry weight (DW) and root DW of ‘Tainung No. 1’ plants under SS-3 and HI-4 treatments, respectively, were significantly increased compared with controls. Both HI-3 and HS-3 treatments remarkably increased vine length, fresh weight (FW), and DW of leaves and shoots in P. suberosa plants compared with controls. Furthermore, ‘Tainung No. 1’ and P. suberosa plants respectively subjected to HI-2 and SS-4 treatments contributed to developing biostimulant applications for obtaining higher total phenol and flavonoid content per plant. Both Passiflora species are recommended for treatment with SS-4 and SE to maximize orientin and isovitexin content, and for all their beneficial applications and sustainable use in agriculture.

Genetic Variability Studies in F2 Populations of Ridge Gourd [Luffa acutangula L. (Roxb.)] for Growth, Yield and Quality Traits

An experiment was conducted to study, genetic variability in ridge gourd during rabi 2024 at College of Horticulture, Bagalkot. The observations were recorded on various growth, yield and quality contributing characters of population-I (ArkaPrasan x Sirsi Local-2) and population-II (Jaipur Long x KLR-5). The analysis of variance indicated the prevalence of sufficient genetic variation among the genotypes from all the characters studied. The high phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) were observed for node at first male flower appears, node at first female appears, TSS and crude fibre in population-I. Whereas, the traits like vine length, number of primary branches per vine, average fruit weight, fruit yield per vine and crude fibre in population-II. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance were observed for node at first male flower appears, node at first female flower appears, fruit length, fruit diameter, average fruit weight, fruit yield per vine, number of fruits per vine, number of seeds per fruit, fruit tenderness, TSS, crude fibre and vitamin C in the both F2 populations indicating these characters are governed by additive gene action. Hence, direct selection may be followed for the improvement of ridge gourd for these characters.