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Introduction. There are many edible vegetables belongs to Cucurbitaceous family, many of which are commercially grown in the field for domestic and international market. Most Cucurbitaceous vegetables are propagated by seeds while few are propagated by cutting, grafting etc.
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Introduction There are many edible vegetables belongs to Cucurbitaceous family, many of which are commercially grown in the field for domestic and international market. Most Cucurbitaceous vegetables are propagated by seeds while few are propagated by cutting, grafting etc. Some Cucurbits seeds sown in situ as they cannot tolerate transplanting shocks while some do tolerate transplanting shocks at particular stages of growth
Propagation: Cucurbits are generally propagated on a large scale by seeds. the seeds are either sown in nursery or directly in field depending on the capacity of the species to tolerate transplantation shocks. The process of propagation can be divided into 3 parts namely, Pre-sowing seed treatment Sowing Post sowing Care.
Pre sowing seed treatment : Cucurbits Seeds are effectively treated before planting for better germination and improved yield. Germination of Bitter gourd seeds enhances by soaking in low concentrations (100-200 ppm) of IAA, GA3 and CCC. Treatment of spine gourd tubers with thiourea 1.0% for 12 hrs is recorded best for breaking the dormancy of tubers. Treating seeds with Azotobacter and Phosphate Soluble Bacterial (PSB) formulations is recommended for almost all cucurbitaceous crops.
Sowing and Sowing Time Cucurbits is a tropical group of vegetables grown in summer and rainy season. Cucurbits are grown throughout the year in mild climate of south and central India. In south and central India. Melons require dry and warm climates at the time of fruit development and It is grown in summer seasons. In rainy season, cucurbits crops are sown at the beginning of monsoon that is in June – July months. In south and central India, sowing can also be done in October -November and the crop matures in March –April months.
Method of Sowing Most of the cucurbits are propagated by seeds by in situ sowing. In some cases where early crop is desired, seeds can be sown in polythene bags and germinated under cover to protect from low temperature. Cucurbits seedlings are transplanted from bags at two leaf stage into the main field. Normally, the cucurbits do not stand transplantation shocks beyond this stage due to injury to tap root. Nursery sowing of seeds in poly bags can save nearly 50-60 percent of seed material as compared to in situ sowing.
Seed Rate of Cucurbits Watermelon : 3.5-5.0 kg/ha Round melon : 3.5-5.0 kg/ha Musk melon : 2.5-3.5 kg/ha Cucumber : 2.5-3.5 kg/ha Bottle gourd : 3.0-6.0 kg/ha Bitter gourd : 4.5-6.0 kg/ha Ridge gourd : 3.5-5.0 kg/ha Sponge gourd : 2.5-3.5 kg/ha Snake gourd : 5.0-6.0 kg/ha Ash gourd : 5.0-7.0 kg/ha Red Pumpkin : 6.0-8.0 kg/ha Bush squash : 8.0-10.0 kg/ha
Sowing: Spacing In cucurbits, number of fruits per plant increases with increasing plant density while fruit number per plant decreases with increase in plant density . A spacing 60cm between plants has been recommended in muskmelon. Usually, the sowing is done on top or sides of furrows and vines are allowed to trail on the organic mulched ground, especially in summer season. In hilly areas, where sowing is done are spaced at a distance of 0.5 to 0.75 m between two plants.
Sowing: Spacing Recommended spacing for in situ planting of cucurbits are: L. acutangulla cv. Pusa Nasdar : 2 x 4 m Pointed Gourd cv. Fp-4 : 1.5 x 1.5 m Bottle Gourd cv. Aroka Bahar : 3 x 0.45 m Red Pumpkin cv. Mariucha : 3 x 2 m
Sowing: In situ Nursery In the in situ sowing, bed orientation should be designed in such a way that irrigation water should not spoil the developing fruits in future. In places of heavy ill drained soils, the seeds are sown in the middle of raised bed to facilitate drainage. Such system is also practiced in areas receiving heavy rainfall. Pits are dug out, filled with manures and growth media and then seeds are sown in such pits especially in monsoon.
Post Sowing Care Emergence of seeds of cucurbits varies with the species. It ranges from 2-3 days in cucumber to around 1 week in gourds. The sown area must be watered regularly using a rose can depending on the season and soil conditions. Other activities such as weeding, plant protection should be undertaken as per requirement. The plants must be protected from diseases such as downy mildew and powdery mildew and insects pests such as fruit flies.
