Growth and Fruit Yield of Hybrid Ridge Gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb] Arka Vikram in Relation to NPK Fertigation

A field experiment was conducted during 2018-2019 at Vegetable Research Block of ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hessarghatta, Bengaluru, Karnataka to study the effect of fertigation with different levels of NPK on growth, fruit yield and quality of hybrid ridge gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb] Arka Vikram. The experiment was laid out with eight treatments in randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. The results of the experiment revealed that the treatment T3 i.e application of water soluble fertilizers @ 150:90:150 kg NPK ha-1 through fertigation recorded maximum vine length (635.31cm), internodal length (14.52 cm), number of leaves per vine (239.60), leaf area per vine (6263.78 cm2), number of female and male flower per vine (29.73 and 304.93) at 90 days after transplanting, number of fruits per vine (19.68), fruit length (49.76 cm), fruit girth (18.40 cm), average fruit weight (454.03 g), fruit yield per vine (4.03 kg) and fruit yield per hectare (53.73 t). Fertigation with water soluble fertilizers (Urea, 19:19:19 and KNO3) @ 150:90:150 kg NPK ha-1 increased the growth and fruit yield of hybrid ridge gourd significantly over reduced quantity of NPK applied with water soluble fertilizers, fertigation with common fertilizers and soil application of NPK fertilizers (Urea, SSP and MOP) @ 100:60:100 kg NPK ha-1. From this investigation, it may be concluded that fertigation of water soluble fertilizers (Urea, 19:19:19 and KNO3) @ 150:90:150 kg NPK ha-1 is good for getting maximum growth, yield attributing characters and yield of hybrid ridge gourd Arka Vikram.