Abstract:
A field experiment was carried out at College Orchard, Department of
Vegetable Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu
Agricultural University, Coimbatore to standardize drip fertigation for ridge gourd
hybrid COH 1 [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.] The trials were conducted with a view to
improve growth, yield and quality to compare the efficacy of water soluble and
straight fertilizers for ridge gourd.Afertilizer dosage of 250:100:100 kg NPK ha was -1
adopted for ridge gourd hybrid (COH1). The treatment consisted of seven levels of
fertilizers consisting of three levels in straight fertilizers (125,100 and 75 percent of
250:100:100 kgNPKha ) and three levels in water soluble fertilizers (WSF) (125,100 -1
and 75 percent of 250:100:100 kgNPKha ) and a control (100 percent soil application -1
of straight fertilizers) replicated thrice in randomized block design. From the study, it
was found that fertigation treatments were significantly superior over the soil
application of fertilizers (control). The fertigation treatment with 125 percent WSF
(T ) recorded the highest values for growth and physiological characters , vine 5 viz.
length (9.65 m), stem girth (5.47 cm) and total chlorophyll content (2.59 mg/100 g). In
case of yield parameters, the highest values were registered for fruit length (38.89 cm),
fruit girth (19.65 cm), fruit weight (391.11 g), yield per vine (6.05 kg), number of
harvests(14.10) and number of fruits/vine (17.84) in 125 percent RDF (250:100:100
kg/ha) through WSF (T ) followed by 100 per cent RDF through WSF. The quality 5
parameters like calcium (15.54 mg/100 g), ascorbic acid (8.14 mg/100g) and
phosphorus (0.66 mg/100 g) content were found to be the highest with 125 percent
RDF through water soluble fertilizers. Therefore (T ) 125 percent RDF through WSF 5can be recommended for getting increased growth, yield and quality in ridge gourd
hybrid COH1.
