Effect of Pruning on Morpho-physiological Characters and Yield of Pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata)

The present study was carried out at the Instructional cum Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Biswanath College of Agriculture, Assam Agricultural University, Biswanath Chariali with an aim to study the morpho-physiological characters and yield as influenced by pruning in pumpkin. Pumpkin is an important commercial vegetable crop of Assam which is cultivated mainly during rabi season.The treatments were: T1(Trimming of growing tip of the primary vine at 8th node stage), T2(Trimming of growing tip of the primary vine at 10th node stage), T3(Trimming of growing tip of the primary vine at 12th node stage), T4(Trimming of growing tip of the secondary vine at 6th node stage), T5(Trimming of growing tip of the secondary vine at 8th node stage), T6(Removal of all tertiary vines), T7(Retention of two tertiary vines) and T8(control without pruning). The study revealed that among the treatments, T4 recorded the highest primary vine length and inter-nodal length of primary vine at 60, 90 DAS and at 1st harvest. Number of primary vine was found to be highest under T5 whileT3 recorded maximum number of secondary vines, inter-nodal length of secondary vines, the highest total leaf chlorophyll content, relative leaf water content, leaf area index and maximum fruit yield. Therefore, trimming of growing tip of the primary vine at 12th node stage can be suggested for pumpkin to get maximum yield.