EVALUATING THE EFFECTS OF NODE-SPECIFIC PINCHING ON FLOWERING AND YIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF BOTTLE GOURD (LAGENARIA SICERARIA) IN A SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE

This study investigates the impact of pinching on the growth and yield attributes of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.)Standl.),focusing on its phenological and morphological characteristics.The experiment utilized a randomized block design with nine treatments, including various pinching nodes on primary and secondary laterals.The results demonstrated that pinching significantly influences flowering dynamics, with treatment T9 (pinching at the 7th node) leading to the earliest appearance of the first female flower at 12.66 nodes and a reduced time to first flower appearance of 55.36 days.This treatment also resulted in a higher number of female flowers per vine (22.74) while reducing male flowers to 118.06, thereby improving the sex ratio to 5.38.Moreover, pinching enhanced branching, yielding the highest number of branches per vine (20.66) and contributing to improved light capture and nutrient distribution within the plant.Morphologically, treatment T9 exhibited shorter internodal lengths (10.98 cm), promoting a more compact structure conducive to better air circulation and stability.Additionally, pinching positively impacted fruit yield attributes, with T9 recording the highest fruit length (48.43 cm), diameter (6.70 cm), weight (1301.14g), and overall yield (277.34 q/ha).These findings underscore the effectiveness of pinching as a cultural practice for optimizing bottle gourd production by enhancing flowering efficiency and fruit yield potential.The study highlights the need for further research into long-term effects and physiological mechanisms underlying these benefits, aiming to refine management practices for sustainable agricultural productivity in bottle gourd cultivation.