Vol. 11, Issue 12 (2022)

Author(s):
Masoom Mohanty, Manisha Kachari, Deepa Borbora Phookan, Nilay Borah and Smrita Barua

Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted in Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during 2019-20 with a view to standardized the conducive planting time and fertilizer rates for the growth and flowering of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo). The seeds were sown, and the seedlings were transplanted on three planting dates P₁ (1^st December); P₂ (15^th December); and P₃ (1^st January) under four fertilizer treatments applied as basal viz. T₀ (control); T₁ (45: 48: 48: NPK Kg/ha); T₂ (60:64:64:NPK Kg/ha); and T₃ (75: 80: 80: NPK Kg/ha). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with three replications. The results revealed that maximum plant height, number of leaves per plant, plant spread, petiole length, nodal position of the first male flower and female flower, days to initiation of the first male and first female flower, number of male flowers and female flowers per plant were observed in fertilizer treatment (T₃). The minimum sex ratio and highest number of days required from female flower anthesis to harvesting were also recorded in T3. In respect to date of planting the first planting (P11^st December) reflected maximum results for crop growth parameters and flowering attributes, i.e. plant height, number of leaves per plant, plant spread, petiole length, number of female flowers per plant and minimum Sex ratio. Therefore, it is concluded that interaction effect of T₃ P₁ performed best in terms of growth and flowering parameters of zucchini.