Efficacy of Plant Bioregulators on Sex Expression, Earliness and Yield Components In Bottle Gourd [Lagenaria Siceraria (Molina) Standl.]

The effect of plant growth regulators on sex expression, earliness and yield of bottle gourd was carried out during summer season of 2013 and 2014 at Horticultural Research Centre, SVPUA & T, Meerut. The Study consist of five concentrations each of GA3 (5, 10, 20, 50, & 75 ppm), NAA (50, 75, 100, 150 & 200 ppm), Ethrel (50, 75, 100, 150 & 200 ppm) and control (water spray). The PGR's were applied at 2 different stages namely 2 and 4 leaf stages. The result of study showed that application of 200 ppm Ethrel significantly reduced number of days to first flower and first harvesting, enhance the female flower, narrower the sex ratio, increase the fruit weight, length and diameter and also increased the fruit yield followed by 200 ppm NAA and 5 ppm GA3.