Aish Kumar, Rohtash Singh Bhadauria, Karan Vir Singh and K.N. Nagaich
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Horticulture Nursery, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, Gwalior, (M.P.) during 2012-13 and 2013- 14 to study the plant bio-regulators affecting sex expression of bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Mil.) Standl]. Foliar application of TIBA @100ppm significantly decreased the days to first staminate and pistillate flowering during both the year. The number of nodes for appearance to first staminate flowering was observed lowest in MH 50ppm, while, Ethereal 50 ppm was recorded minimum nodes for appearance to first pistillate flowering. Significantly maximum staminate flowers vine-1 was recorded in TIBA 25ppm and pistillate flowers vine-1 was recorded in IAA 250ppm. Significantly lowest 5.49% sex ratio were recorded in IAA 250ppm and application of MH 75ppm was recorded the highest 29.77 % fruit set. Significantly maximum 6.29 kg fruit yield vine-1 and 314.20 q fruit yield hectare-1 were recorded under the treatments MH 75ppm in both the year as compared to control.