EFFECT OF MULCHING AND MALEIC HYDRAZIDE ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF MUSKMELON

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the Horticulture Farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka, Bangladesh during November 2020 to April 2021 to study the effect of mulching and maleic hydrazide on growth, yield and quality of muskmelon. The experiment co nsisted of two factors. Factor A: Three mulching practices viz., M 0 = No mulch (control), M b = Black polythene mulch, M w = Clear polythene mulch and Factor B: Three maleic hydrazide (MH) solutions viz., G 0 = Control (no maleic hydrazide), G 1 = 50 ppm MH and G 2 = 100 p pm MH. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were recorded on growth, yield and quality of muskmelon and significant variation were observed for most of the studied characters. Under this investigation, it was revealed that the maximum percentage of female flowers per plant (21.49), individual fruit weight (1074.40 g), fruit yield (41.00 t ha -1 ) with total soluble solids (10.93 °brix) and vitamin C contents (22.15 mg/100 g) were o btained from the treatment combination M b G 2 (Black polythene mulch +100 ppm maleic hydrazide). On the other hand, the minimum percentage of female flowers per plant (8.44), individual fruit weight (702.00 g), fruit yield (11.60 t ha -1 ) with total soluble solids (8.55 °brix) and vitamin C contents (17.81 mg/100 g) were recorded fr om control treatment combination (M 0 G 0 ). So, the treatment combination M b G 2 (Black polythene mulch + 100 ppm maleic hydrazide) was more suitable than the other treatment combinations for the production of muskmelon.