Evaluation of Fertigation and Foliar Spray of Nutrients for the Performance of Bottle Gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] on Yield, Quality and Economics

Abstract

The field experiment entitled “Evaluation of fertigation and foliar spray of nutrients for the performance of bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] on yield, quality and economics” was conducted during Kharif season from 2020-21 to 2022-2023 at Chilli and Vegetable Research Unit, Dr. Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth, Akola (Maharashtra). The site is Situated in the subtropical region at 22042’ North latitude and 77002’ East longitude and at an altitude of 307.42 m above mean sea level with average annual precipitation was 944.4 mm. Experimental field is situated at the latitude of 200 40' 35'' North and longitude of 760 59' 10'' East. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with twelve treatments combinations and three replications. The two factors i.e., fertigation levels and foliar spray levels i.e. soil application with S₁ (200:100:100 kg ha-1) NPK through fertigation in ten equal doses along with two foliar spray of F3 (ZnSO4 @ 0.25% + FeSO4 @ 0.25%) at flower initiation and fruit setting (S₁F3) was found better for maximum highest yield and B:C ratio (2.17) of bottle gourd followed by statistically at par with the treatment with (S2F3) soil application of S2 (150:75:75 kg ha-1) NPK through fertigation in ten equal doses along with foliar application of  F3 (ZnSO4 @ 0.25% + FeSO4 @ 0.25%)  at flower initiation and fruit setting. Similarly, the quality parameters like reducing, non -reducing sugars (g/100g) and ascorbic acid content (%) were significantly improved with fertigation level of S₁ (200:100:100) kg NPK along with foliar spray of F3 (foliar spray of ZnSO4 @ 0.25% + FeSO4 @ 0.25%).