EFFECT OF GROWTH REGULATORS AND FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES ON THE FLOWERING, FRUIT SET AND YIELD OF BITTER GOURD (Momordica charantia L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of growth regulators (IAA and Ripen-15) and fertilizer management practices on the flowering, fruit set and yield of bitter gourd (Hybrid Corolla- Penta Green) during April to July 2007 at the Horticulture farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. The experiment was considered of two factors. Factor A: Different plant growth regulators viz. control (H ), Ripen-15 (H 2 ) and IAA+Ripen-15 (H ) and Factor B: Fertilizer management practices viz. control (F 0 ), organic manure (F 1 3 ) and inorganic manure (F ). It was laid out in the two factors Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The data obtained for different characters were statistically analyzed to find out the significance of the PGR’s and fertilizer management practices. The tallest plant at 1st flowering time (163.90 cm), the lowest ratio of male and female flower (3.08), the maximum fruit weight (129.10 gm) were recorded from the application of IAA+Ripen-15 (H 3 2 ) but the maximum number of fruit (18.26) and highest yield per hactare (21.89) was found from application of Ripen-15 (H ) and the minimum was recorded in control condition. The tallest plant at 1st flowering (160.72 cm), the lowest ratio of male and female flower (3.06), the maximum number of branches (11.86), nodes (26.33), female flowers (23.72), fruits (16.35), maximum fruit weight (119.92 gm) per plant and the highest yield (19.11 t/ha) were recorded from the application of inorganic fertilizer (F 2 ) and the minimum was recorded in control condition. Interaction effect between plant growth regulators and fertilizer management practices showed a statistically significant variation incaseof most of the recorded characters. The combination of Ripen-15 and inorganic fertilizer (H 2 F ) gave the highest gross return (Tk. 510,000) which is closely followed by combination of Ripen-15 and organic fertilizer (H 2 2 F ). The lowest gross return (Tk. 208,000) was obtained in the control condition where no plant growth 1 0 ), IAA (H 1 2 regulator as well as no fertilizer was applied. The combination of Ripen-15 and inorganic fertilizer (H 2 F ) gave highest benefit cost ratio (2.47) and the lowest benefit cost ratio (0.61) was obtained in combination of control conditions (H 2 ).