Role of Different Levels of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium on Growth, Yield and Quality Attributes of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Bitter gourd is an important crop in Pakistan. Bitter gourd has a lot of dietary and medicinal importance. In Pakistan, there is a tremendous potential for using the inorganic fertilizer, but unfortunately adequate amount of fertilizer regarding the bitter gourd crop are lacking. The experiment was studied at the Vegetable Research Area, Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during the year 2014-2015, to see the efficacy of inorganic fertilizers on vegetative and reproductive attributes of bitter gourd. Faisalabad Long variety of bitter gourd was used. The experiment was laid out according to Randomized Complete Block Design consisting of six treatments with four replications. The response of vegetative parameters like growth, yield and quality were recorded and analyzed statistically at the 5 % level of significance. Different doses of inorganic fertilizers showed variations among, germination, fruit, fresh weight, fruit diameter and chemical parameter like vitamin C, pH and phenolic compound of fruit. This experiment showed that treatment (T4) N: P: K (250,100,80 kg/ha) gave more fresh and dry weight of the fruit and Vitamin C. Treatment (T5) N: P : K (300, 120, 100 kg/ha) showed increased the vegetative growth, vine length, number of leaves but showed least reproductive phase. It is concluded that dose of nitrogen (250kg/ha) and adequate amount of potassium (100kg/ha) along with phosphorus (80kg/ha) fertilizers increase the vegetative growth as well as reproductive growth.