The Impact of Different Levels of Potash Application on the Growth and Yield Parameters of Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria Siceraria L.)

A field experiment was conducted in 2015 to assess the influence of varying levels of potash application on the growth of vine and fruit productivity in bottle gourd, utilizing a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Potash was applied at rates ranging from 0 (control) to 150 kg ha-1, alongside the recommended doses of nitrogen (100 kg ha-1) and phosphorus (75 kg ha-1). In the control group, only the recommended doses of nitrogen and phosphorus were applied. The study observed significant effects (p<0.05) on various parameters of bottle gourd such as (1) vine length (2) No. branches vine-1 (3) fruit count vine-1 (4) average fruit weight (5) fruit yield per vine, and (6) fruit productivity per hectare. The study concluded that the optimal growth and yield performance were achieved with potassium application at 125 kg ha-1, whereas increasing potassium fertilizer beyond 150 kg ha-1 had adverse effects on crop yields. It is recommended to fertilize bottle gourd crops with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium at rates of 100-75-125 kg ha-1 for economically higher yields.