Journal of FARM SCIENCES, Vol 21, No 2 (2008)

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Influence of Growth Regulators and Stages of Spray on Sex Expression of Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula L. Roxb)

J.S. Hilli, B.S. Vyakarnahal, Satish S. Patil

Abstract


The results of the experiment revealed that, among all the treatment combinations, application of NAA 50 ppm took minimum number of days to first pistillate flower appearance (37.98 and 31.59) and 50 per cent female flowering (59.76 and 50.25) compared to other growth regulators during both summer and kharif seasons respectively. The highest number of female flowers per vine was recorded with the application of NAA at 50 ppm (17.19 and 12.60) respectively.  Narrow sex ratio and female flower at lower node (11.1 and 7.69, respectively) were recorded with ethrel at 500 ppm compared to control (12.13 and 11.05, respectively).  Application of growth regulator at four leaf, flower and fruit initiation stage resulted in earliest first pistillate flower appearance with least number of days to 50 per cent pistillate flowering followed by the application of growth regulators at four-leaf and flower initiation stage. Lowest number of male flowers per vine (128.36) and lowest sex ratio of 9.65 was recorded with the spray at four-leaf and flower initiation stage during summer season. Highest number of female flowers per vine (13.89) was recorded with sprays at four leaf, flower and fruit initiation stage during summer season.  Spraying of growth regulator at flower bud initiation stage might have suppressed the male bud initiation and enhanced female flower bud initiation. Though the trend was similar in both the season, interaction between growth regulators and stages of spray had significant effect on sex expression during summer season.

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