Plant height, diameter and dry weight of step, fruits/plant, fruit setting percentage, total dry weight/plant, fruit length and dry weight, harvest index, 1000 seed weight and number of seeds/fruit were reduced drastically by defoliation and slightly by covering of fruits after fruit setting. However, deflowering and harvesting of fruits at vegetative stage enhanced the height, diameter of stem, dry weight of leaves and stem, number of leaves and flowers/plant significantly. Though the number of fruits and total dry weight/plant increased significantly by vegetable stage harvesting, low fruit weight/plant, caused significant reduction in the harvest index. Deflowering and vegetable stage harvesting delayed the senescence of lower leaves, caused significant increase in crude protein, total sugar in stem and leaves and starch in stem (3–4 times higher), while leaf starch was depleted by the same treatments.
