Influence of Training and Pinching on Growth, Flowering and Physiological Characters in Bottle Gourd cv.CBgH1

The influence of training and pinching on the growth, physiological and flowering characters of CBgH1 bottle gourd bred by Horticultural college and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India was studied. The objective of this study was therefore, to determine the effects of five pinching activities in CBgH1. The experiment arranged in a randomized block design in three replications. The five pinching treatment consisted of T1 - Pinching on secondary lateral at 3rd node, T2 -Pinching on secondary lateral at 4th node, T3 - Pinching on secondary lateral at 5th node, T4 - Pinching on secondary lateral at 6th node, T5 – no pinching on secondary lateral shoots (control). Pinching on secondary lateral at 6th node resulted in lower vine length and sex ratio, and in addition this treatment enhanced the number of tertiary branches, number of leaves, total leaf area, leaf area index, and female flower per vine. Therefore, pinching on secondary lateral at 6th node significantly increased the growth, physiological and flowering parameters.