Effect of training system on seed yield and quality of bitter gourd cv. ‘Kalyanpur Baramasi’ under herbicide managed crop

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at IIVR, Varanasi to know the feasibility of different training system (Bower and Kniffin) along with crop spread on ground as control and their effects on seed yield and quality of bitter gourd cv. ‘Kalyanpur Baramasi’ under herbicide managed crop during rainy season (2008 and 2009). The weeds were managed with the application of popular herbicide ‘Pendimethalin’ @1 litre a.i. per hectare as pre-emergence. In bower system bamboo poles (2 m in height) were pitched on both the end of furrows at a distance of 5 m and poles were connected with plastic wire. The wire along the furrow is further connected with cross wire fastened at 30 cm distance, so as to form a network wire. In Kniffin system wires were fastened only along the furrow at 30 cm distance in four rows, vertically. Maximum fruit yield 169.4 q ha-1 was recorded under bower system and next best yield i.e. 141.3 q ha under Kniffin system. Maximum seed recovery (0.6%) was found under Kniffin trailing system followed by on ground spread crop (0.45%). Ground spread crop gave minimum fruit yield 21.8 q ha-1 which was 87.13% less than bower system. Significantly maximum seed yield was found 76.6 kg ha-1 under bower system followed by Kniffin training system (63.2 kg ha-). Bower system produced 75.85 percent more seed yield compared to ground spread crop pooled year. Seed germination was maximum 74.5 percent in seed obtained under bower system followed by Kniffin system owing to maximum test weight and healthy seed.