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Effect of Female Male Ratio and Harvesting Stage on Yield and Quality of Pointed Gourd (trichosanthes Dioica Roxb.)

NASMIN ARA
Senior Scientific Officer (Horticulture)
Regional Agriculture Research Station, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Ishurdi 6620, Pabna, Bangladesh

M.K. BASHAR
Senior Instructor (Agril. Extension)
OFRD, Bangladesh Sugarcane Research Institute, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh

MD. KARIM
Senior Scientific Officer (Agronomy)
Regional Agriculture Research Station, Bangladesh Agriculture Research Institute, Ishurdi, Pabna, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The experiment was conducted at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Ishurdi, Pabna during the growing season 2004-2005 to find out the effect of optimum female-male ratio and appropriate harvesting stage of the pointed gourd on yield and quality. The studies were on three female male ratios viz; 15:1 (T1), 10:1 (T2) and 5:1 (T3) and three harvesting stages viz. 8, 12 and 16 days after female flower anthesis. The highest yield (31.0 t/ha) was obtained from 15:1 female-male ratio (T1). It was also observed that at 12 days after female flower anthesis (S2) the plant produced the highest yield 31.06 t/ha. The lowest yield (18.77 t/ha) was recorded from 5:1 female-male ratio with harvesting stage at 8 days after female flower anthesis (S1T1). The result showed that combination S2T1 (15:1 plant density with harvest at 12 days) was found to better yield.

Keywords: Female male ratio, Harvesting stage, Yield, Quality, Pointed gourd

Location: Regional Agricultural Research Station, Ishurdi, Pabna

Start Date: 00-00-2004

End Date: 00-00-2005

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Pointed gourd

Objectives:

Plant sex density (female: male) is, therefore, a very important factor for fruit setting and achieving higher yield. Moreover, the harvesting stage of fruit is also an important criterion for quality production. Fruit grew larger and heavier due to delayed harvesting as reported by Maity et al. (1995). If harvesting is delayed, the seeds become hard and the vegetables less desirable for customers (Singh and Whithead, 1999). So far no work has been done for the male-female ratio and stage of proper harvest time in Bangladesh. So, the present study was undertaken to find out the plant sex density (female-male ratio) and appropriate stage of fruit harvest for higher yield and better quality of pointed gourd.

Methodology:

The study was undertaken at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Ishurdi, Pabna during the period from 2005-06. The experiment was laid out in a factorial RCB design with three replications. Three different plant sex density (Female: male) viz., (i) 15:1, (ii) 10:1 (iii) 5:1 and three harvesting stages viz., (i) harvesting at 8 days after female flower anthesis (ii) harvesting at 12 days after female flower anthesis and (iii) harvesting at 16 days after female flower anthesis were included in the study. The male plant was planted in the middle of the bed. The anthesis of a female flower was determined when the female flower was opened. The mean annual rainfall was 1775 mm. The warmest and coldest months are June (360 C max.) and January (10.30 C min.) (Ara, 2001). The soil of the experiment was clay loam in texture belonging to the high Ganges River flood plain under AEZ 11 (FAO, 1971). The selected plot was well-drained having pH value 8.5. The bed size was 3.0m x 1.5m, spacing was 1.5m x 1.0m and pit was 50 cm x 50 cm x 30 cm. The vine was planted on 10th November 2005. BARI patal-2 (PG0025) was used as planting material. Manures and fertilizers were applied as per recommendation (Rashid, 1993). The N, P205 and K20 were applied in the form of urea, triple superphosphate (TSP) and Muriate of potash (MP) at the rate of 62.10 kg N, 80.40 kg P205, 60.00 kg k20 per hectare. The cowdung was applied at the rate of 10 tons per hectare. The entire quantity of cowdung, and TSP were applied at final land preparation. Urea and MP were applied as top dressing in three equal installments at 20, 60 and 90 days after sowing. The pointed gourd field was mulched with rice straw. Irrigation and other intercultural operations were done as and when necessary. Data on first flowering, vine length at first female flowering, number of nodes at 1st female flowering, number of shoots per plant, number of fruits per plant, single fruit weight, the weight of fruit per plant, fruit length, fruit radius, pulp weight per fruit, number of seeds per fruit, the weight of seeds per fruit yield ton per hectare were recorded. The significance of the difference between treatments was evaluated by the least significance difference (LSD) test for interpretation of results (Gomez and Gomez, 1984).

Source of Information: SAARC Jn. of Agri., 5(2), : 2007

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Yield was significantly affected by sex density and harvesting stage. The highest yield (34.32 t/ha) was produced by S2T1 (15:1 plant sex density and harvesting at 12 days after female flower anthesis, which was statistically similar to S3T1 combination (15:1 sex density and harvesting at 12 days after female flower anthesis).

Knowledge Management: Journal