Dr. Manish KumarSHIVANI SHARMA2024-04-242024-04-242022-03-24https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810208326The present investigations entitled “Effect of ethephon application on sex regulation, growth, seed yield and quality attributes in bitter gourd” were carried out in the Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during the year2022 and 2023 using bitter gourd cv. Solan Hara. The experiment was laid in Randomized Complete Block Design with one additional treatment for both field and laboratory conditions having three replications each. Various ethephon concentrations (50 ppm, 100ppm, 150ppm, 200ppm, 250ppm, 300ppm) were applied at three stages(4 True leaf stage, 4 True leaf stage + 15 days after first spray, 4 True leaf stage + 15 days after first spray + 15 days after second spray) with one additional treatment (standard practice: no ethephon application).The results revealed that between factorial treatment (treatment combinations) and non-factorial treatment (additional treatment), factorial treatment were found superior. Among treatment combinations, ethephon application @ 300ppm at 4 true leaf stage + 15 days after first spray + 15 days after second spray results in higher node bearing first male flower (number), lower node bearing first female flower (number), minimum internodal length (cm), maximum days to first male flower, minimum days to first female flower, minimum number of male flowers, maximum number of female flowers, narrower sex ratio, maximum number of fruits per plant, total number of seeds per fruit, fruit length at the time of seed maturity (cm), fruit weight at the time of seed maturity (g), minimum days to fruit ripening, maximum seed yield (g) per plant, (g) per plot, (q) per hectare, maximum 100 seed weight (g), germination percentage, seedling length (cm), seedling dry weight (mg), seedling vigour index- I, seedling vigour index-II. Therefore, this treatment combination can be recommended for inducing femaleness as well as quality seed production of bitter gourd cv. Solan Hara in Himachal Pradesh.EnglishThesis