EFFECT OF SPACING AND LIQUID BIOENHANCER ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF CUCUMBER (Cucumis sativus L.) UNDER NATURALLY VENTILATED POLYHOUSE
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Date
2024
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College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Effect of Spacing and Liquid Bio-enhancer
on Growth, Yield and Quality of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) under Naturally
Ventilated Polyhouse” was conducted during Rabi, 2024 at Protected Cultivation Unit
of the College of Horticulture and Forestry, Jhalawar. The experiment consisted of 10
treatments including two levels of spacing (60 x 30 cm and 60 x 45 cm) and five levels
of liquid bio-enhancer i.e. Panchagavya (0%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%). The experiment
was laid out in a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with three replications.
Data were collected on 18 different growth, yield and quality contributing characters
of cucumber. The spacing and liquid bio-enhancer (Panchagavya) had a significant
effect on growth, yield and quality parameters individually whereas their combined
effect did not significantly influence the growth, yield and quality parameters.
The 60 x 45 cm spacing (S2) significantly increased the vine length at 75 DAT
(255.81 cm), internodal length at 75 DAT (11.52 cm), no. of leaves/plant at 75 DAT
(47.37), no. of branches/plant at 75 DAT (9.13), leaf area at 75 DAT (375.75 cm2), total
chlorophyll content (0.80 mg/g), no. of fruits/plant (36.62), fruit length (16.90 cm),
fruit diameter (3.53 cm), average fruit weight (168.34 g), fruit retention (86.63%),
marketable fruit yield/ plant (3.73 kg), TSS at 1st picking (2.79 oBrix), ascorbic acid
(2.64 mg/100g), PAR (991.20 μmol m-2 s-1) as compared to 60 x 30 cm spacing (S1);
reduced the unmarketable fruit yield/plant (0.28 kg) and took minimum days to first
harvest (49.29).
Amongst the five levels of bio-enhancer, the application of treatment P2 -
(Panchagavya @6%) significantly increased the vine length at 75 DAT (275.91 cm),
internodal length 75 DAT (12.25 cm), no. of leaves/plant at 75 DAT (52.36), no. of
branches/plant at 75 DAT (9.96), leaf area at 75 DAT (434.64 cm2), total chlorophyll
116
content (1.00 mg/g), no. of fruits/plant (38.90), fruit length (18.18 cm), fruit diameter
(3.76 cm), average fruit weight (181.23 g), fruit retention (91.41%), marketable fruit
yield per plant (4.30 kg), TSS at 1st picking (3.05 oBrix), ascorbic acid (2.79 mg/100g),
moisture content (94.37%), PAR (1003.50 μmol m-2 s-1) as compared to control (P0). It
also reduced the unmarketable fruit yield/plant (0.23 kg) and took minimum days to
first harvest (47.03). However, the treatment P2 was at par with P1.
In the present study, wider spacing (S2 = 60x45 cm) and application of
Panchagavya (6% at par with 4%) alone enhanced the growth, yield, and quality
parameters significantly and treatment combination S2P2 (60 x 45 cm spacing +
Panchagavya @ 6%) had the highest fruit yield per plant (4.54kg). However, treatment
S1P1 (60 x 30 cm spacing + Panchagavya @ 4%) showed higher net returns (₹1508.3
per 4.5m2) and a better B:C ratio (4.54). Thus, it can be concluded that wider spacing
(60x45 cm) may increase the growth, yield and quality parameters to a greater extent
than closer spacing (60x30 cm) due to improved space, aeration, and light conditions,
but planting at narrow spacing (60x30 cm) and the use of Panchgavya @4% (S1P1) was
found to be better from the economic point of view.