Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 , Faculty of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
2 Member of Young researchers club, Ardabil branch, Ardabil branch, Ardabil, Iran
Abstract
In order to determine the effects of seed priming and foliar application of growth regulators on pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) yield and biophysicochemical traits of its grain, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design was carried out at University of Mohaghegh Ardabili Research Station with three replications. Treatments were seed priming (control, GA3 and NAA) and growth regulators, spraying (control, NAA, GA3 and NAA + GA3). Seed priming with NAA and spraying of NAA increased grain number per fruit more than two folds. In this treatment, number of immature grains decreased to minimum and reached to one-fifth of control. Fresh fruit yield per plant was higher in the same treatment and increased about two folds. Simple effects of priming on grain yield and fresh fruit yield was significant and maximum grain yield was achieved with NAA priming. Simple effects of growth regulators were significant on some traits, and maximum number of grains per fruit, fruit diameter, fresh fruit weight, grain yield and minimum number and percentage of immature grains have been achieved by NAA spraying. Grain oil and protein content respectively increased and decreased by GA3 foliar application, while NAA spraying had reverse order and decreased oil content and raised protein content. No treatment had significant effect on grain length and width, but GA3 spraying increased grain thickness. Consequently, it seems that foliar spraying of NAA could increase the grain yield in medicinal pumpkin, but it also has negative effect on active ingredients of grains which are soluble in oil. Furthermore, results of this study showed that spraying with GA3 produced greater grains containing more oil.
Keywords
)