Effect of Plant Growth Regulators on Yield Contributing Traits and Quality Attributes of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) cv. MGH-4

Abstract

An experiment entitled "Effect of plant growth regulators on growth, yield and fruit quality of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) cv. MGH-4" was conducted at Horticulture Research Field, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) during 2019. Plant Growth regulators are regarded as one of the most important treatments, used nowadays in agriculture, which in most cases modify the plant yield contributing traits and quality attributes. The experimental trial consisted two plant growth regulators having different concentration NAA (30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 ppm) and GA3 (30,40, 50, 60 and 70 ppm). Water was used as a control. The application of plant growth regulators significantly affects the vegetative as well as reproductive attributes of the crop. Application of plant growth regulators at the 2-4 leaf stage was found to be the most productive in terms of growth attributes of bottle gourd. The application of plant growth regulators has a major influence on both the reproductive and vegetative traits of the crop. The fruit yield per hectare (58.45 t/h), fruit diameter (23.89 cm), weight (1.273 kg), TSS (17.89 °Brix), vitamin C content (10.77 mg/100gm), and seed pulp ratio (9.16) were all determined to be best when 40 ppm GA3 was applied at the 2-4 leaf stage.