Performance Evaluation of Sponge Gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.) Varieties

The present study was conducted during January to June 2024 at the Department of Horticulture, SHUATS, Prayagraj, to evaluate the performance of 15 sponge gourd genotypes under the local agro-climatic conditions. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design with three replications. Significant variation was observed among the genotypes for growth, yield, and quality traits. Genotype 2022/SPGVAR-6 outperformed others in fruit yield per plant, number of fruits per vine, TSS, and vitamin C content, and also recorded the highest gross return, net return, and benefit-cost ratio (4.44). 2022/SPGVAR-7 excelled in vine length and fruit length, while 2022/SPGVAR-4 had the highest fruit weight. The variety Lalita showed superiority in fruit diameter, days to germination, and days to first male flower appearance. These findings suggest 2022/SPGVAR-6 as the most promising variety for cultivation under Prayagraj conditions.