ISHS Acta Horticulturae 492: I International Symposium on Cucurbits
EFFECT OF GROWTH REGULATORS ON FLOWER DIFFERENTIATION AND YIELD IN ZUCCHINI (CUCURBITA PEPO L.) GROWN IN PROTECTED CULTIVATION |
| Authors: | L. MANCINI, N. CALABRESE |
| Keywords: | Auxin, ethephon, flower sex, sex ratio, harvest time |
| Abstract:
The growing of summer squash out-of-season is of interest in protected cultivation for its high yields and good commercial values. The ratio of male:female flowers is affected by environmental conditions. In this research treatments with ethephon and with auxin were tested to induce high production of female flowers and to promote fruit-setting and fruit size Ethephon was applied on the cultivars Consul and ‘Corsair’ when the plants were at 3–4 true leaf stage and repeated 15 days later. The auxin applications using a blend of NAA and BNOA was realised when female flowers appeared. At each harvest the number of male and; number, weight, length, thickness and dry matter of fruits were determined. The number of female flowers per plant was positively affected by treatments and was obtained to be 8.6 and 10.2 respectively in the control and in treated plants. The percentage of female flowers in the total number was 44 36 in treated and control plants respectively. A significant efficiency of treatments was observed on yield and earliness. In the cv. Consul the yield increased from 64 t ha-1 in the control to 80 t ha-1 with ethephon and auxin treatments. After 30 days from the beginning of harvest about 50% of total yield was obtained in treated and only 20% in the control plants. | |
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