Effect of Spacing and Fertilizer Levels on Growth and Yield of Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) under Konkan Agro-climatic Conditions

Abstract

Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) belongs to Cucurbitaceae family was studied for the effect of spacing and fertilizers on growth, yield and yield attributing characters in Konkan agro-climatic condition. The study revealed that among the different spacing studied, most of the desirable characters were noted at S₁ (60 x 60 cm). The highest number of leaves (33.01) and highest petiole length (12.51 cm), the lowest days for initiation of 1st female flower (28.38), highest total number of male (137.26) and female flowers (8.71), lowest sex ratio (15.52), lowest number of days to first harvest (37.47), the highest days to last harvest (73.61), the highest number of fruits per plant (8.15), fruit yield per plant (3.77 kg), yield per plot (135.68 kg), yield per hectare (104.69 t) and β-carotene (7.58 mg) recorded in S₁ (60 x 60 cm).Among various fertilizer levels, F₃ (150:50:50 NPK (kg ha^-1) recorded significantly the highest plant height (75.16 cm), number of leaves (34.96), plant spread (1.18 m), the highest number of fruit per plant (6.48), fruit yield per plant (3.37 kg), yield per plot (90.38 kg) and yield per hectare (69.73 t) Further, the treatment combination S₁ F₃ i.e. planting of zucchini at (60 x 60 cm) with fertilizer application of (150:50:50 NPK (kg ha^-1) produced significantly the highest fruit yield per plant (3.99 kg), yield per plot (143.64 kg) and yield per hectare (110.83 t) during summer season under Konkan agro-climatic conditions of Maharashtra.