Floral Biology and Pollination Behaviour in Bottle Gourd under Hilly Condition of Uttarakhand

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at College of Horticulture, Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry Bharsar Pauri Gharwal to observe the floral biology and Pollination behaviour in ten genotypes (G1 to G10) of bottle gourd March 2022 - August 2022. The flower has five petals. The different parameters for floral biology and pollination behavior were recorded on the basis of time period. The experiment was laid out in field conditions is RCBD with three replications for ten genotypes and lab experiment was laid out in CRD with nine treatments. The genotype Pusa Summer Prolific Long (PSPL) took a minimum of 38.333days for first male flowering, and for female flowering, it took 40.667 days. The genotype L. C. Meerut has given better in terms of a maximum 7.100cm male flower length; for female flower length, it was 7.500cm. The genotype Pusa Summer Prolific Long (PSPL) had maximum (81.000mm) diameter of male flower. Arka Bahar had maximum (86.000mm) diameter of female flower. The best result for sex ratio was seen in L. C. Tehri (105.000). Anthesis in different genotypes of bottle gourd started from 5.00 am, and flower continued to open till 11.00 am. The peak period for anthesis in all the genotypes was recorded in between 6.00 am to 8.00 am. Anther dehiscence is increased gradually from 6.00 am to 11.00 am. The peak period of anther dehiscence was recorded between 6.00 am to 8.00 am. The maximum percentage of stigma receptivity was observed during full bloom stage followed by bud and withering stages in all genotypes. The fruit set by hand pollination was maximum (80.000%) in PSPL and by open pollination maximum (86.000%) fruit set was recorded in genotype Arka Bahar.