Physiological changes in pumpkin (Cucurbita pepoL.) by foliar application of zinc
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Date
2019
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Publisher
Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneswar
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted in the central farm, RRTTS, Odisha University of Agriculture and
Technology, Bhubaneswar during 2019 to study the “Physiological and biochemical changes in
pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) by foliar application of Zinc”. Pumpkin variety MAHY 1 hybrid was
grown for the study.The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with three
replicationconsisting fourteen treatments in viz., control-T1, 2.5Kg/ha Zn soil application-T2, foliar
spray 0.25% ZnSO4 once-T3, foliar spray of 0.5% ZnSO4 once-T4, foliar spray 0.75% ZnSO4 once -
T5,foliar spray 1% ZnSO4 once -T6,foliar spray 0.25% ZnSO4 twice-T7, foliar spray 0.5% ZnSO4
twice-T8,foliar spray 0.75% ZnSO4 twice-T9, foliar spray 1% ZnSO4 twice-T10, foliar spray 0.25%
ZnSO4 thrice-T11, foliar spray 0.5% ZnSO4 thrice-T12, foliar spray 0.75% ZnSO4 thrice-T13, foliar
spray 1% ZnSO4 thrice-T14 which are applied at 30,60 and 90 DAS. The soil of the experimental site
was acidic with pH 5.21, low in available nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.The study revealed
that application of 0.5% ZnSO4 applied at 30,60 and 90 DAS performed the best. It recorded the
maximum mean values for vine length (357.11cm),leaf number(85.67), and biochemical characters
like chlorophyll a(1.96 mg/g), chlorophyll b(0.770mg/g) and carotenoid content(1.520 mg/g),
reproductive characters like sex ratio (female flowers: male flowers) (1:1.11), average fruit weight per
vine,fruit girth, yield(23.1 ton/ha). The highest gross return (Rs.1,15,500/ha) and net return
(Rs.70,545/ha) with benefit cost ratio of 1.56. Thus 0.5% foliar spray of ZnSO4 thrice was found to be
superior over other treatments with respect to productivity and profitability.
Description
Th-5669
Keywords
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