Poly-tunnel Technology: A Cost Effective and Affordable Method for Early Season Production of Bottle gourd

The research work was conducted at the research farm of Department of Vegetable Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2011–12. The experiment was laid out in split plot design replicated thrice with five different dates of sowing as main plot treatments i.e. 15^th December (D₁), 30^th December (D₂), 15^th January (D₃), 30^th January (D₄) & 15^th February (D₅) and three different growing conditions [Direct seed sowing in open field under straw mulch (M₁), Direct seed sowing under poly-tunnel (M₂), Transplanting of seedlings under poly-tunnel (M₃)] as sub-plot treatments, thus making a total of fifteen treatment combination. The approximate total cost and net returns per hectare for various treatments were calculated from the crop as per recommended package. A difference in respect of production cost was observed for different growing conditions only, not for different sowing dates. However, there was a difference in net return per hectare for both growing conditions and sowing dates due to variation in early and total fruit yield. The lowest total cost of Rs 89285/ha was applied in the M₁ growing condition followed by growing condition M₂ (Rs 146804/ha) and M₃ (Rs 149804/ha). However, the highest net returns of Rs 308710/ha was obtained in the treatment combination M₂D₁i.e. planting on 15^th December (D₁) with direct seed sowing under poly-tunnel method (M₂) followed by treatment combination M₂D₂ (Rs 248538/ha) and M₃D₁ (Rs 245278/ha). The highest cost: benefit ratio also observed for treatment combination M₂D₁ (1: 3.10) followed by treatment combination M₂D₂ (1: 2.69) and M₃D₁ (1: 2.64) respectively.