2024, Vol. 7, Issue 7, Part H

author(s)
S Mahammad Yunus and Dr. Vijay Bahadur

abstract
Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria Mol.) is a significant vegetable crop in tropical and subtropical regions, known for its nutritional and medicinal benefits. This study aims to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA) on the growth, yield, and fruit quality of bottle gourd varieties under the agro-climatic conditions of Prayagraj, northern India. Conducted at the Vegetable Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, SHUATS, during the Rabi season of 2023, the experiment employed a Factorial Randomized Block Design (FRBD) with twelve treatments replicated three times. Key parameters assessed included germination percentage, vine length, flowering time, fruit characteristics, yield, and economic viability. Results indicated that the Warad (Check) variety demonstrated superior performance in germination percentage, plant height, flowering time, and fruit characteristics. The application of NAA at 200 ppm (T₁₂) significantly enhanced growth, yield, and economic returns, with Warad (Check) showing the highest net return (Rs. 501,751.50/ha) and benefit-cost ratio (5.37). The study concludes that NAA at 200 ppm is highly effective in improving the overall performance of bottle gourd varieties, providing actionable recommendations for farmers to optimize cultivation practices, contributing to sustainable agriculture and enhancing food security in similar agro-climatic regions.