International Journal of Horticulture 2024, Vol.14, No.4 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh © 2024 HortHerb Publisher, registered at the publishing platform that is operated by Sophia Publishing Group, founded in British Columbia of Canada. All Rights Reserved.
International Journal of Horticulture 2024, Vol.14, No.4 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh © 2024 HortHerb Publisher, registered at the publishing platform that is operated by Sophia Publishing Group, founded in British Columbia of Canada. All Rights Reserved. Publisher HortHerb Publisher Edited by Editorial Team of International Journal of Horticulture Email: edit@ijh.hortherbpublisher.com Website: http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh Address: 11388 Stevenston Hwy, PO Box 96016, Richmond, V7A 5J5, British Columbia Canada International Journal of Horticulture (ISSN 1927-5803) is an open access, peer reviewed journal published online by HortHerb Publisher. The journal publishes all the latest and outstanding research articles, letters and reviews in all aspects of horticultural and its relative science, containing horticultural products, protection; agronomic, entomology, plant pathology, plant nutrition, breeding, post harvest physiology, and biotechnology, are also welcomed; as well as including the tropical fruits, vegetables, ornamentals and industrial crops grown in the open and under protection. HortHerb Publisher is an international Open Access publisher specializing in horticulture, herbal sciences, and tea-related research registered at the publishing platform that is operated by Sophia Publishing Group (SPG), founded in British Columbia of Canada. All the articles published in International Journal of Horticulture are Open Access, and are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. HortHerb Publisher uses CrossCheck service to identify academic plagiarism through the world’s leading plagiarism prevention tool, iParadigms, and to protect the original authors’ copyrights.
International Journal of Horticulture (online), 2024, Vol. 14, No.4 ISSN 1927-5803 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh © 2024 HortHerb Publisher, registered at the publishing platform that is operated by Sophia Publishing Group, founded in British Columbia of Canada. All Rights Reserved. Latest Content Effect of Different Mulching Materials on Onion (Allium cepa) Production at Lamahi, Dang, Nepal Dibyashori Rana Magar, Anita Sharma, Smirty K.C., Binod Kafle, Bhuwan Bohara, Lal Bahadur Chhetri International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4, 207-217 Performance Evaluation of Cucumber Genotypes and Study on Correlation and Path Analysis Hari Prasad Ghimire, Namrata Acharya, Rejina Sapkota International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4, 218-222 Control Strategies of American Leaf Miner (Tuta absoluta) (Meyrick) Adopted by Farmers in Lalitpur District, Nepal Sapana Acharya, Shraddha Gotame Sunar, Roshan Khanal, Suruchi Aryal, Dikshya Subedi, Santosh Marahatta, Roshan Ghimire International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4, 223-236 Growth Characteristics and High Sweetness Cultivation Management Plan of Thornless Yellow Dragon Fruit Jungui Xu, Zizhong Wang, Tianhui Shi, Yuxin He, Zhen Liu International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4, 237-249 The Domestication of Pumpkins: Historical Perspectives and Modern Genetic Evidence AnnieNyu International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4, 250-262 Breeding High-Yield and Disease-Resistant Carrot Varieties Using Marker-Assisted Selection XueZhang International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol. 14, No. 4, 263-274
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 207 Research Article Open Access Effect of Different Mulching Materials on Onion (Allium cepa) Production at Lamahi, Dang, Nepal Dibyashori Rana Magar1, Anita Sharma1 , Smirty K.C. 1, Binod Kafle1, Bhuwan Bohara2, Lal Bahadur Chhetri 3 1 Department of Agriculture, Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Tribhuvan University, 33700, Nepal 2 Department of Agriculture, Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, 246174, India 3 Department of Horticulture, Agriculture and Forestry University, 44200, Nepal Corresponding author: Anitapokhrel1999@gmail.com International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4 doi: 10.5376/ijh.2024.14.0023 Received: 28 Apr., 2024 Accepted: 02 Jul., 2024 Published: 10 Aug., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Magar et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Magar D.R., Sharma A., K.C. S., Kafle B., Bohara B., and Chhetri L.B., 2024, Effect of different mulching materials on onion (Allium cepa) production at Lamahi, Dang, Nepal, International Journal of Horticulture, 14(4): 207-217 (doi: 10.5376/ijh.2024.14.0023) Abstract Winter onion production in rainfed regions is constrained by the limited availability of soil moisture. Mulching has proven to be a viable tool to conserve soil moisture and enhance yield. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of different mulching methods on the performance of onion (Allium cepa L. var. Nasik Red N 53) concerning its yield and yield attributes during the winter season (Nov–March) at Lamahi-5, Dang. The experiment was laid out following a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and seven treatments. The treatments were T1: Control, T2: Saw Dust (1 kg), T3: Straw (1 kg), T4: Banana Leaves (1 kg), T5: Neem Leaves (1 kg), T6: White Polythene (30 µ), and T7: Rice Husk (1 kg). The onion variety Nasik Red was transplanted at a spacing of 20 cm by 10 cm. Biometrical parameters like plant height, and number. of leaves, length of leaves, neck thickness, neck length, and yield-attributing characters like shoot weight, bulb weight, bulb length, bulb diameter, root length, root weight and total yield were observed. The collected data were statistically analyzed for the best mulching materials using analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the separation of means for significant effects was by least significant difference (LSD) at the 5% level of probability. Among different mulching materials, white plastic mulch was best in terms of vegetative and phenological observations like plant height (64.8 cm) and number of leaves (11) at 100 DAT, while length of leaves (32.7 cm) was found to be significant at 60 DAT. White plastic mulching at 30µ was best in terms of yield and yield attributing characteristics like bulb diameter (7 mm), bulb weight (117.5 gm), and yield per plot (27 tons/ha). In the upcoming days, it would be a better idea to use this technique to reduce weeds, conserve moisture, and improve soil health, producing more yield. Keywords Onion (Allium cepa); Growth; Mulching materials; Yield 1 Introduction Onion (Allium cepa L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops which occupies third rank in terms of the area and production in the global review and widely used all year round in Nepalese as an important condiment (Mishra et al., 2020). Onion (2n=2x=16), herbaceous biennial plant belonging to Alliaceae family grown foe it’s edible bulb. The domestication of onion is tracked back to more than 5000 years ago from Central Asia between Turkmenistan and Afghanistan where some of relatives still grow in wild. Onion from Central Asia, supposed onion ancestor had probably migrated to Near East (Bagali et al., 2012). Leaves arise from underground part of stem having dorsi-ventral, flattened leaf blade and flower stalks reaches height of 2.5 to 6 feet (75-180 cm), terminating in a spherical cluster of small greenish white flowers. It is commonly known as “Queen of the kitchen” due to it's highly valued flavor, aroma, unique taste and medicinal properties of its' flavor compounds (Griffiths et al., 2002). An edible portion of 100 gm raw onion bulb contains 1.1 gm protein, 9.3 gm carbohydrate, 89% water, 4.2 gm sugar, 1.7 gm fiber and 0.1 gm fat (Bjarnadottir, 2023). The Sulphur compound allyl propyl disulphide contributes to pungent aroma of onion (Randle and Lancaster, 2002). Onions has alsoplayed a vital role in preventing heart diseases and other ailments (Kim and Park, 2010). Onion is popular over local shallot because of its high yield potential per unit area, availability of desirable cultivars for various uses, ease of propagation by seed, high domestic use (bulb and seed) and export (bulb, cut
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 208 flowers) (Teshome et al., 2015). Onions are day length sensitive; several onion types exist depending upon latitude at which they grow. Onion prefers well-drained sandy loam with high content of organic matter (Sitote and Tadese, 2018). The optimum altitude ranging from 700 and 2,200 meter above sea level (masl) and optimum growing temperature lies between 15 °C and 23 °C (Anon, 2003). The crop requires 350-500 mm of water over the growing season (https://www.fao.org/land-water/databases) hence adequate moisture possibly through irrigation is important in the production of onions. Onion has shallow root system so it extracts very little water from depths beyond 60 cm. Thus, upper soil areas must be kept moist to stimulate root growth and provide adequate water for plant. Onion growth and development is greatly influenced by mulching and irrigation (Rahman et al., 2013). Mulching is an important technology which decreases the loss of soil water through evaporation and conserve soil moisture thus reduces the irrigation requirements, increasing root development, reducing weed attack and inducing earlier harvest of crop (Mahajan et al., 2007). The most common objective of mulching is to enhance crop growth by altering soil temperature and conserving soil moisture (Lamont, 2005). Onion is ideally adapted to developing without extreme heat or cold or abundant rainfall in a moderate climate. Bolting is induced by low temperature during the rabi season, whereas abrupt rise in temperature causes early maturity and small sized bulbs (Khokhar, 2009). Sudden temperature rise starts in the month of March-May during which crop evapotranspiration rises (4-10 mm per day) leading to depletion of soil moisture level causing water stress to plant thereby, early maturity of bulbs and low yield (Abasi et al., 2009). To fill this soil moisture gap onion requires frequent, light irrigations (10-15) to keep the soil root zone moist; this has led to more water use even in water-scarce areas. 2 Materials and Methods 2.1 Experimental site The research was conducted at Local farmers field at Lamahi Municipality, ward no.5, Kolahi of Dang, Nepal. The geographical location of the sites was 27.865789º N latitude and 82. 526935º E longitude with the elevation of 266 masl. The climatic condition of Lamahi is sub-tropical with more than 80% of the total annual rainfall during the monsoon season from June to September. Since the crop is winter season crop, the winter temperature usually ranged from 12 °C to 22 °C. The soil of research field was loamy soil with pH 6.5. 2.2 Description of materials used in experiment: 2.2.1 Varietal details Nasik Red N53 variety of onion was selected for the research experiment. It is medium red skin colored hybrid variety, flat oval in shape, sowing round the year with good yielding capacity. The bulb looks attractive and have good storing ability. 2.2.2 Seedling preparation Nasik Red N53 variety of seeds were sown in the nursery bed to prepare the seedling of onion. Onion seed was soaked prior to sowing. A fine seed bed was prepared with adequate amount of organic matters and fertilizers. 7-10 weeks old seedlings are usually transplanted in the main field under ideal growing conditions. 2.2.3 Mulches As inorganic mulching, white plastic with 30-micron thickness was used in the experiment. Similarly, Rice straw, rice husk, neem leaves, banana leaves and saw dust were used as organic mulches. These mulches were weighed initially and 1kg/plot were kept in the simultaneous treatment plots.
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 209 2.3 Experimental setup 2.3.1 Experimental design A field experiment was carried out in Lamahi-5, Deukhuri, Dang. The experiment was conducted in RCBD design with 7 treatments and 3 replications. Crop geometry was 10 x 20 cm. The net area of the plot was 1.4 m2 (1.4 x 1) and the total field area was 51.2 m2 (12.8 x4). Number of plants in each plot was occupies by 1,470 seedlings, with recommended dose of fertilizers: 100:50:50 KG NPK/ha and 20 ton/ha Farm yard manure (FYM) (Urea: 73 gm, DAP: 54 gm, MOP: 19 gm, 10 kg FYM per plot). 2.3.2 Treatments details Different organic (rice straw, rice husk, neem leaves, banana leaves, saw dust) and inorganic mulches (white polythene) were used as mulch materials whereas bare soil with no mulch was used as control plot. During treatment selection, different locally available least cost mulching materials were selected to ensure future feasibility and availability of treatments to the farmers (Table 1). Table 1 Treatments used and their details Treatment No. Name of the treatments Details T1 Control - T2 Sawdust 1 kg per plot T3 Rice straw 1 kg per plot T4 Banana leaves 1 kg per plot T5 Neem leaves 1 kg per plot T6 White polythene 30micron T7 Rice husk 1 kg per plot 2.4 Data measurement and analysis The data of different growth and yield attributes were collected from 10 tagged plants at different times according to the requirement for the evaluation of different treatments. Plant height was collected using measuring scale, number of leaves were counted, neck diameter, bulb diameter, bulb length was measured using vernier caliper and bulb weight was recorded using the digital weighing balance for accurate result. 2.5 Growth parameters 2.5.1 Plant height (cm) Plant height 10 tagged plants were taken at 30, 60 and 100 days of transplanting. Height of tagged sample plants from each plot was collected. The height of the sample plants were measured from the ground level to the tip of the growing point using measuring scale (ruler). The average of plant height was worked out and expressed in centimeter. 2.5.2 Number of leaves per plant The number of leaves per plant was counted on each sample plants at 30, 60 and 90 days of transplanting excluding senescent and emerging leaves. 2.5.3 Length of leaves The length of green leaves of 10 sample plants from each plot was measured at 30, 60 and 90 days of transplanting. Measuring scales was used to record the length of leaves. Length of leaves were measured from the growing point of leaves formation to the tip of the leaves and expressed in centimeter. 2.5.4 Neck thickness The thickness of the neck was recorded using measuring scales at 30 DAT and using vernier caliper at 60 and 100 days of transplanting. The average of neck thickness was calculated and expressed in centimeter.
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 210 2.5.5 Neck length The length of the neck was measured with the help of measuring scale at 100 DAT in centimeters. 2.6. Yield parameters 2.6.1 Bulb diameter The diameter of the bulb was measured by using vernier caliper after harvesting the bulb of the onion. 10 tagged sample plants were taken from each plot. The diameter was expressed in cm. 2.6.2 Bulb length The length of the bulb was measured with the help of vernier caliper after harvesting of the bulb of onion for higher accuracy. Bulb length of the tagged sample plant from each plot was measured. The bulb length was expressed in cm. 2.6.3 Total yield The total yield of each tagged sample plant was measured using digital weighing balance. Whole plant was weighted and expressed in kilogram (kg). 2.6.4 Shoot weight The weight of the shoot was measured using weighing balance after harvesting of the onion. The shoot was removed from the bulb by cutting it 5cm above the bulb with sterilized scissor and knife. The weight of the shoot was expressed in gram (gm). 2.6.5 Bulb weight The weight of the bulb which were cut leaving 5cm of shoots were measured using weighing balance. All the sample bulb from each plot were weighted and expressed in gram. 2.6.6 Root weight Root weight of the onion was taken by cutting the roots from the bulb and measured by using weighing balance. The weight of root was expressed in gram. 2.7 Data analysis and techniques 2.7.1 Statistical analysis The tagged ten sample plants were taken from each plot and observation were recorded for each parameter. The collected data were arranged in Microsoft excel. Mean value was calculated and used for statistical analysis. To analyze the treatment means and their variations statistically, collected data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) for randomized complete block design (RCBD) model.The variations among the treatment means were compared by Ducan's multiple range test at the 5% level of significance. The significance effect of treatments was judged with the help of F (Variance ratio) value. Furthermore, after the ANOVA test, a post hoc test known as Fisher's Least Significant Difference (LSD) test was conducted to separate the treatment means. 3 Results and Discussion 3.1 Effect of different mulching materials on growth parameters 3.1.1 Number of leaves The data showed the effect of mulching on number of leaves (Table 2). It showed that there is no significant effect of mulching materials in 60 DAT. However, the effect of mulching on number of leaves was increasing significantly (P<0.01) at 100 DAT. The number of leaves at 100 DAT was highest on straw mulch followed by rice husk mulch, banana leaves mulch and the least number of leaves were recorded on sawdust mulch. More number of leaves results in high photosynthetic activities which directly influenced the yield. Higher plant height and more number of leaves in mulching may be due to suitable moisture, nutrient availability in root zone and reduced evaporation. At 100 DAT maximum number of leaves was found in straw mulch.More number of leaves results in high photosynthetic activities which directly influence the yield. Organic amendment including straw
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 211 mulch increases number of leaves, growth and yield (Islam et al., 2002). These results are similar to those obtained by Kashyap et al. (1967). Table 2 Effect of mulching on number of leaves Treatments 60DAT 100DAT Control 4bc 9c Sawdust mulch 4bc 8c Straw mulch 5ab 11a Banana leaves mulch 4abc 11bc Neemmulch 5a 9bc White polythene mulch 4c 9c Rice husk mulch 4bc 11a Pvalue 0.102 0.013 LSD NS 1.61 CV(%) 10.72 9.1 Grandmean 4.67 10.01 SEM(±) 0.13 0.30 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, NS= Non-significant, P value= Probability value 3.1.2 Plant height The plant height varied among the treatment plots across the plant development phases (Table 3). Plant height was increased significantly (P<0.05) at 30 DAT (14.8 cm) and 100 DAT (64.8 cm). Similarly, plant height was increasing significantly (P<0.01) at 60 DAT (35.6 cm). Plant height at 30 DAT was highest on white polythene mulch followed by neem leaves mulch, banana leaves and the lowest plant height was on control. Similarly, at 60 DAT, the maximum height was found on white polythene mulch followed by neem leaves mulch, banana leaves and the lowest height was on control. Likewise, at 100 DAT maximum height was recorded on white polythene mulch followed by banana leaves, sawdust mulch and the lowest height was recorded on control. The result showed that the plant height development in mulched plots whereas stagnation of plant height on the control plot. Similar effect of highest plant in onion was depicted by Akter and Rashid (2023). Table 3 Effect of mulching on plant height Treatments 30DAT 60DAT 100DAT Control 10.8c 20.5c 48.6b Sawdust mulch 12.5abc 30.9ab 57.2ab Straw mulch 11.8bc 30.3ab 51.0b Banana leaves mulch 13.8ab 33.5a 61.0a Neemmulch 14.6a 33.8a 56.6ab White polythene mulch 14.8a 35.6a 64.8a Rice husk mulch 11.9bc 23.6bc 55.5ab Pvalue 0.021 0.009 0.046 LSD 2.4 7.9 9.9 CV(%) 10.4 15.1 9.9 Grandmean 12.9 29.7 56.4 SEM(±) 0.40 1.50 1.60 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 212 3.1.3 Length of leaves The length of leaves were found to have longer on mulched plots compared to non-mulched plots. The length of leaves was affected by mulching materials (Table 4). Length of leaves were increasing significantly (P<0.05) at 30 DAT (13.2 cm) where longest length was observed on white polythene mulch followed by neem leaves, straw mulch and the shortest length was recorded on control. Similarly, length of leaves was increasing significantly (P<0.01) at 60 DAT where the longest length was found on white polythene mulch followed by neem leaves, straw mulch and the least was recorded on control. Similarly, length of leaves were increasing significantly (P<0.01) at 60 DAT (32.7 cm) where longest length was recorded on straw mulch followed by banana leaves, white polythene and the shortest length was observed on control. Mulched treatments plots whether organic or inorganic had larger leaves number than non-mulched control plots at all stages. Table 4 Effect of mulching on length of leaves Treatments 30DAT 60DAT 100DAT Control 9.9c 18.3c 43.0e Sawdust mulch 10.7bc 28.3ab 46.1de Straw mulch 12.4ab 30.3a 55.4a Banana leaves mulch 11.6abc 28.6ab 55.2a Neem leaves mulch 13.1a 31.2a 51.4bc White polythene mulch 13.2a 32.7a 52.5ab Rice husk mulch 10.9bc 21.4bc 49.2cd Pvalue 0.044 0.009 <0.001 LSD 2.19 7.6 3.3 CV(%) 10.6 15.7 3.7 Grandmean 11.7 27.3 50.4 SEM(±) 0.34 1.42 1.02 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value 3.1.4 Neck thickness The result showed that neck thickness was affected by mulching materials (Table 5). Neck thickness was increased significantly (P<0.001) at 30 DAT, 60 DAT and 100 DAT. The maximum neck thickness at 30 DAT was recorded on rice husk mulch followed by white polythene, neem leaves and the minimum was observed on control. Similarly, the maximum neck thickness at 60 DAT was observed on white polythene mulch followed by neem leaves, banana leaves and the minimum was found on control. Likewise, at 100 DAT the maximum neck thickness was observed on white polythene mulch followed by straw, banana leaves and the minimum neck thickness was recorded on control. This shows that the mulching material had good effect on neck thickness as compared to control. Table 5 Effect of mulching on neck thickness Treatments 30DAT 60DAT 100DAT Control 0.4b 0.6e 1.5e Sawdust mulch 0.4b 0.9cd 2.2d Straw mulch 0.4b 0.8d 2.6b Banana leaves mulch 0.4b 0.9c 2.6bc Neem leaves mulch 0.5a 1.1b 2.2d White polythene mulch 0.5a 1.2a 3.03a Rice husk mulch 0.5a 0.9d 2.4cd Pvalue <0.001 <0.001 <0.001 LSD 0.03 0.06 0.3 CV(%) 3.3 3.6 6.2 Grandmean 0.4 0.9 2.4 SEM(±) 0.01 0.04 0.10 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 213 3.1.5 Neck length There was significant effect of mulching materials in neck length at (P<0.01) (Table 6). White polythene mulch (9.9 cm) had longest neck length followed by banana leaves, neem leaves and shortest length was recorded on control (5.7 cm). Table 6 Effect of mulching on neck length Treatments 100DAT Control 5.7d Sawdust mulch 7.2cd Straw mulch 8.3bc Banana leaves mulch 9.3ab Neem leaves mulch 9.0a White polythene mulch 9.9a Rice husk mulch 7.2cd Pvalue <0.001 LSD 1.6 CV(%) 11.4 Grandmean 8.08 SEM(±) 0.34 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value 3.2 Effect of mulching in yield attributing characters 3.2.1 Bulb diameter The effect of mulching materials in bulb diameter is shown in Table 7. There was significant effect of mulching in bulb diameter of onion. Highest bulb was obtained in banana leaves(7.1 mm) followed by white polythene mulch, neem mulch, straw mulch and lowest bulb was observed in control (4.9 mm). Higher the soil temperature, more elongated the bulbs (Yamaguchi et al., 1975). So that increased soil temperature may be one reason for higher bulb diameter under these mulches. Table 7 Effect of mulching on bulb diameter Treatments 100DAT Control 4.9e Sawdust mulch 5.8d Straw mulch 6.2c Banana leaves mulch 7.1a Neemmulch 6.9a White polythene mulch 7.0a Rice husk mulch 6.6b Pvalue <0.001 LSD 0.3 CV(%) 2.8 Grandmean 6.4 SEM(±) 0.17 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value 3.2.2 Bulb length Table 8 shows effect of mulching on bulb length. All mulch plots had plants with greater length than the control plot. It showed there was significant effect of mulching in bulb length. Highest bulb length was obtained in white polythene mulch (5.7 cm) followed by straw mulch. Similar result was seen in banana leaf mulch. Control (4.1 cm) showed the lowest bulb length on mulching.These results are more or less similar to those obtained by Baten et al. (1995) and Chhangani (1998).
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 214 Table 8 Effect of mulching on bulb length Treatments 100DAT Control 4.1c Sawdust mulch 4.6b Straw mulch 5.4a Banana leaves mulch 5.4a Neemmulch 5.3a White polythene mulch 5.7a Rice husk mulch 4.8b Pvalue <0.001 LSD 0.4 CV(%) 4.6 Grandmean 5.1 SEM(±) 0.12 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value 3.2.3 Shoot weight Maximum shoot weight was seen in straw mulch of 97.7 gm (Table 9). The difference in shoot weight was significant. Banana leaves mulch 82.9 gm was obtained followed by white polythene mulch and lowest shoot weight was seen in control 36.8 gm. Table 9 Effect of mulching on shoot weight Treatments 100DAT Control 36.8c Sawdust mulch 38.5c Straw mulch 97.7a Banana leaves mulch 82.9ab Neemmulch 57.1bc White polythene mulch 65.2bc Rice husk mulch 56.1bc Pvalue <0.001 LSD 30.2 CV(%) 27.3 Grandmean 62.04 SEM(±) 5.44 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value 3.2.4 Bulb weight Mulching was found to have positive impact on bulb weight of onion (Table 10). Mulching provides favorable soil microclimate along with availability of soil moisture at critical periods of plant growth. It enhances greater bulb weight. Fresh weight of 10 onion were studied as quantitative parameter. Highest bulb weight found on white polythene mulch (119.5 gm) followed by Banana leaves mulch (117.3 gm) and lowest was found on non-mulched control plots weighed (63.9 gm). Statistically on all mulch treatment weight found to be more than that of control plot. Bulb size,development and all agronomic parameters of onion were improved by organic mulch (Parsottambhai and Rawat, 2020). 3.2.5 Root length The result showed that root length found to be longer i.e. (8.1 cm) in banana leaves mulch and found to be shorter length in control (5.6 cm) (Table 11).
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 215 3.2.6 Root weight Statistically, root weight were found to be significant (Table 12). Root weight was found more in neem mulch (1.7 gm) and lowest root weight was found in control (0.7 gm). Table 10 Effect of mulching on bulb weight Treatments 100DAT Control 63.9b Sawdust mulch 66.0b Straw mulch 96.1ab Banana leaves mulch 117.3a Neemmulch 107.3a White polythene mulch 119.5a Rice husk mulch 106.2a Pvalue 0.010 LSD 32.5 CV(%) 18.9 Grandmean 96.6 SEM(±) 5.70 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value Table 11 Effect of mulching on root length Treatments 100DAT Control 5.6c Sawdust mulch 6.0c Straw mulch 6.3bc Banana leaves mulch 8.1a Neemmulch 7.8a White polythene mulch 7.8a Rice husk mulch 7.3ab Pvalue <0.001 LSD 1.01 CV(%) 8.07 Grandmean 7 SEM(±) 0.23 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value Table 12 Effect of mulching on root weight Treatments 100DAT Control 0.7e Sawdust mulch 1.0de Straw mulch 1.1bcd Banana leaves mulch 1.3bc Neemmulch 1.7a White polythene mulch 1.4ab Rice husk mulch 1cd Pvalue <0.001 LSD 0.32 CV(%) 15.4 Grandmean 1.6 SEM(±) 0.08 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 216 3.2.7 Total yield The data indicates that yield (ton/ha) as influenced by mulching materials (Table 13). It showed that there was significant effect of mulching in yield of onion. Highest yield was obtained in white polythene mulch 30 µ (27 ton/ha) followed by rice husk mulch (26.9 gm), neem mulch (22.7) and lowest yield was found in non-mulch; control (13.1 ton/ha). Table 13 Effect of mulching on total yield (ton/ha) Treatments 100DAT Control 13.1c Sawdust mulch 20.3b Straw mulch 22.0b Banana leaves mulch 22.0b Neemmulch 22.7b White polythene mulch 27.0a Rice husk mulch 26.9a Pvalue <0.001 LSD 3.6 CV(%) 9.2 Grandmean 22 SEM(±) 1.03 Note: LSD= Least significant difference, SEM= Standard error of mean, CV= Coefficient of variation, P value= Probability value 4 Concluding Remarks The study showed that the either organic or inorganic mulches used both had positive impact on yield and yield attributes of onion. From the research it was concluded that mulching shows effective result in terms of number of leaves, plant height, length of leaves, neck, shoot and root length, bulb length, weight and bulb diameter and overall yield in comparison to control (no mulch). Weed control was found to be effective on mulched plots especially on white polythene mulch. So, it wise to suggest the use of mulch to increase production and productivity. Among different mulching material white polythene mulch was found to be best in term of taken parameters. Despite having positive effect on soil moisture, temperature and yield parameters, the white polythene mulch couldn’t integrate into the soil after it’s span and its management was difficult due to wear and tear. Organic mulches on the other hand, easily decomposed into the soil and handling of mulch materials after the crop period was relatively easier compared to white polythene mulch. Thus, this research showed that white polythene mulch as the most suitable mulch treatment to conserve soil moisture and enhance the yield and yield attributing parameters of winter onion. In upcoming days, it would be better idea to use this technique to reduce weed, conserve moisture and improve soil health producing more yield. Authors’ contributions DRM, AS and SKC contributed to design, data collection, interpretation and analysis of the results and drafted the manuscript. BK and BB collected data, interpreted the results and contributed to writing the manuscript. LBC analyzed the data and contributed to writing and reviewing the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Acknowledgement The authors thank the college premises for helping throughout the research journey and thankful to faculty member for their immense guidance throughout the journal. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 207-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 217 References Abasi S., Mousabi S.M., Mohebi M., and Kiani S., 2009, Effect of time and temperature on moisture content, shrinkage and rehydration of dried onion, Iranian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 6(3): 57-68. Akter T., and Rashid M.H., 2023, Effects of organic mulches on growth and yield of winter onion (Allium cepa) cultivars, Fundamental and applied agriculture, 7(4): 298-307. https://doi.org/10.5455/faa.123513 Anon, 2003, Promotion of Off-season onion production for import substitution (FPP 419), s.l.: s.n. Bagali A.N., Patil H.B., Chimmad V.P., Patil P.L., and Patil R.V., 2012, Effect of inorganics and organics on growth and yield of onion (Allium cepa L.), Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 25: 112-115. Baten M.A., Nahar B.S., Sarker S.C., and Khan M.H., 1995, Effect of different mulches on growth and yield of late planted garlic (Allium sativum), Pakistan Journal of Scientific and Industrial Research, 38(3-4): 138-141. Bjarnadottir A., 2023, Onion: nutrition facts and health effects, s.l.: Healthline. Chhangani S., 1998, Effect of mulching on water conservation growth and bulb yield of onion, Haryana Journal of Horticultural Science, 27: 122-124. Griffiths G., Trueman L., Crowther T., Thomas B., and Smith B., 2002, Onions--a global benefit to health, Phytotherapy Research, 16(7): 603-615. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.1222 PMid:12410539 Islam M.N., Ahmed S.U., Hussain M.M., and Chowdhury S., 2002, Effect of mulch and bulb size on growth of onion, Pakistan Journal of Biological Science, 5(6): 648-650. https://doi.org/10.3923/pjbs.2002.648.650 Kashyap R., Jyotishi R.P., and Shrivastava S.R., 1967, Effect of various kinds of mulches on the growth and yield of onion (Allium cepa L.) and on the Physico-chemical condition of soil, Punjab Hort J., 7(3-4): 119-127. Khokhar K.M., 2009, Effect of set-size and storage temperature on bolting, bulbing andseed yield in two onion cultivars, Scientia Horticulturae, 122: 187-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2009.05.008 Kim J.M., and Park E.J., 2010, Effect of onion consumption on cardiovascular disease in human intervention studies: a literature review, Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition, 39(10). https://doi.org/10.3746/jkfn.2010.39.10.1565 Lamont W., 2005, Plastic: modifying the microclimate for the production of vegetable crops, Horttechnology, 15(3): 477-481. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.15.3.0477 Mahajan G., Sharda R., Kumar A., and Singh K.G., 2007, Effect of plastic mulch on economizing irrigation water and weed control in baby corn sown by different methods, African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2(1): 19-26. Mishra A., Jha S.K., and Shrestha S., 2020, Performance evaluation of onion grader, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 10(1): 434-438. https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.10.01.2020.p9768 Parsottambhai S.M.K., and Rawat R., 2020, Effect of mulching on growth, yield and quality of onion (Allium cepa L.): a review, Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry, 9(6): 1861-1863. Rahman M.A., Mahmud J.A., and Islam M.M., 2013, Influence of mulching on the growth and yield of onion, Tech. J.Engin. Appl. Sci., 3(24): 3497-3501. Randle W.M., and Lancaster J.E., 2002, Sulphur compounds in Alliums in relation to flavour quality, pp.329-356 https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851995106.0329 Sitote M. and Tadese D., 2018, Response of onion to rate of nitrogen fertilizer on yield and yield componet at gondar, North Western Ethiopia, Journal of Biology, Agriculture and Healthcare, 8(19): 61-65. Teshome H., Woldesclassic A., and Simon T., 2015, Seed yield and quality of onion (Allium cepa var. cepa) seed as, Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 5(9): 83-86. Yamaguchi M., Paulson K.N., Krusella M.N., and Bernhard R.A., 1975, Effect of soil temperature on growth and quality of onion bulbs (Allium cepa) used for dehydration, Journal of American Society of Horticultural Science, 100(4): 415-419. https://doi.org/10.21273/JASHS.100.4.415 Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note The statements, opinions, and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and do not represent the views of the publishing house and/or its editors. The publisher and/or its editors disclaim all responsibility for any harm or damage to persons or property that may result from the application of ideas, methods, instructions, or products discussed in the content. Publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 218-222 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 218 Research Report Open Access Performance Evaluation of Cucumber Genotypes and Study on Correlation and Path Analysis Hari Prasad Ghimire , Namrata Acharya, Rejina Sapkota Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Chitwan, 44200, Nepal Corresponding author: ghari9757@gmail.com International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4 doi: 10.5376/ijh.2024.14.0024 Received: 25 May, 2024 Accepted: 12 Jul., 2024 Published: 12 Aug., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Ghimire et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Ghimire H.P., Acharya N., and Sapkota R., 2024, Performance evaluation of cucumber genotypes and study on correlation and path analysis, International Journal of Horticulture, 14(4): 218-222 (doi: 10.5376/ijh.2024.14.0024) Abstract The study was conducted to evaluate the cucumber varieties for different agronomic traits and to study the correlation and heritability traits at Rukum East, Nepal. The experiment was carried out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven cucumber varieties and three replications. Observations were recorded for various growth parameters, floral parameters, and yield parameters. The experimental finding showed the highest plant height (136.66 cm) in Bhaktapur local followed by Garima (104.56 cm). The highest average number of fruits/plants (6) and highest fruit length (23.63 cm) was observed in Bhaktapur local. In the case of yield per plant, the highest yield was observed in Bhaktapur local (2.60 kg) and the lowest in Dynasty (1.34 kg). Among the seven selected varieties the highest yield (26 ton/ha) was obtained from Bhaktapur local and this variety was also preferred by most of the consumers due to its good flavor and taste. Correlation studies revealed that the yield per plot of cucumber was positively correlated and highly significant with yield per plant (1.00***), followed by fruit weight (0.87***), fruit length (0.80***), and plant height (0.74***). Path analysis showed that fruit weight has the highest positive direct effect over fruit yield (0.777) and days to flowering of male flowers and female flowers showed the highest positive indirect effect through fruit weight (0.759). These traits can be considered for crop improvement through selection. Keywords Cucumber; Correlation; Path analysis; Rukum 1 Introduction The cucumber is a fruit crop that has significant nutritional, medicinal, and economic value (Ene et al., 2016). It is the fourth most important cultivated vegetable in the world after cabbage, onion, and tomatoes (Ene et al., 2016). In Nepal, cucumber is grown on 9,978 hectares (ha) with productivity of 15.32 mt/ha and production of 152,862 mt (MoALD, 2022). It is cultivated from terai to high hills ranging from 100 masl to 1,800 masl (Khanal et al., 2020). The global production of cucumber was recorded over 91.2 million metric tons from more than 2.2 million hectares of land with a productivity of 40.35 tons/ha (FAOSTAT, 2022). The leading Cucumber producer worldwide is China followed by Turkey, with about one-third of the world's Cucumber produced in China (FAOSTAT, 2022). It’s worth noting that the 10 largest world producers of cucumber account for 90.54% of the world's cucumber production Cucumber is one of the potential commodities for export, however, farmers are not getting reasonable prices for many reasons, one being lack of variety recommendation at local level (Dhakal et al., 2023). Assessment of genetic diversity among genotypes collection could exploit information to enhance the development of better-performing varieties among the cultivated species of cucumber that could be suitable in crop breeding for diverse applications such as identifying diverse parental genotypes. The yield of cucumber in the study area is considerably low due to the non-availability of high-yielding varieties that are well-suited for specific production zones, diseases and pest infestation, fertilizers, irrigation, staking, and drainage (Khanal et al., 2020). Understanding the varietal character of cucumber is essential for maintaining yield and productivity. Correlation and path analysis studies would be helpful in selecting suitable plant type. Correlation coefficient indicates nature of association among the characters, whereas path analysis splits the correlation coefficients into
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 218-222 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 219 measures of direct and indirect effects, thus provide an insight on direct and indirect effect of each character towards yield (Kumar et al., 2018). This study is designed to search out high-yielding varieties/hybrids suitable for Rukum district and further explore the role of different traits contributing towards the yield of cucumber. 2 Materials and Methods 2.1 Experimental materials The experiment was carried out from March to July 2023 at Sisne rural municipality-6, East Rukum district. The seeds of seven varieties (Bhaktapur local, Ninja 179, Simran, Raja, Majesty, Dynasty, Garima) were brought from nearby Agrovet. The seeds were sown under protected conditions in each polybag. Soil and organic manure were used for the preparation of growing media. Seedlings were transplanted after three weeks. 2.2 Experimental designs The experiment was laid out on Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The experiment consisted of seven varieties of cucumber as treatments. The size of the individual plot was maintained at 6 m2 (2 m×3 m) with plant spacing (100 cm×100 cm). Treatments were replicated three times. 2.3 Data analysis Plants were observed for different characteristics i.e., plant height, days to flowering of male and female flowers, number of fruits per plant, fruit length, and fruit weight. Data were recorded and coded using MS Excel. The data were analyzed for their mean performance, correlation, and path analysis using R, and results were interpreted accordingly. 3 Results and Discussion 3.1 Mean performance of different traits of cucumber genotypes The mean plant height of cucumber was 96.07 cm (Table 1) at 45 days after transplanting. The highest plant height was observed in Bhaktapur local (136.66 cm) while the shortest plant height was recorded in Ninja 179 (68.34 cm). The mean days to the first male and female flower after transplanting were 37.51 and 41.57 days respectively. The highest day to the first male and female flower emergence was observed in Bhaktapur local (45 and 52 days, respectively) while the lowest days to the first male and female flower were observed in Simran (34 and 35 days, respectively). Table 1 Mean comparison of various traits Treatment PH(cm) MF FF NFPP FL (cm) FW(g) TNH YPPN (kg) YPP (kg) Garima 104.56b 36bc 40bc 6.00b 20.14b 289.76bc 5.06b 1.74b 10.45b Simran 98.83b 34c 35c 5.20c 18.77bcd 290.26bc 4.90b 1.50bc 9.05bc Raja 77.13cd 37bc 43b 4.73de 17.62d 299.16bc 4.67bc 1.42c 8.48c Dynasty 85.33c 36bc 39bc 4.53e 18.42cd 295.34bc 4.36c 1.34c 8.09c Ninja 179 68.34d 40b 44b 5.00cd 19.40bc 311.67b 4.70bc 1.55bc 9.35bc Bhaktapur local 136.66a 45a 52a 5.92b 23.63a 441.00a 5.10b 2.60a 15.65a Majesty 101.53b 35c 38bc 6.53a 19.61bc 247.50c 5.73a 1.60bc 9.67bc LSD 10.53*** 4.43** 6.15** 0.44*** 1.51*** 53.33*** 3.92** 0.28*** 1.69*** SEM(±) 1.29 0.54 0.75 0.05 0.18 6.54 0.07 0.03 0.21 CV% 6.16 6.54 8.26 4.60 4.32 9.65 5.15 9.38 9.38 Grandmean 96.05 37.57 41.57 5.42 19.65 310.67 4.93 1.68 10.11 Note: PH= Plant Height, DFMF= Days to flowering of male flowers, DFFF= Days to flowering of female flowers, NFPP= Number of fruits per plant, FL= Fruit length, FW= Fruit weight, TNH= Total number of harvest, YPPNT= Yield per plant, YPP= Yield per plot, LSD=Least Significant Difference, SEM= Standard Error of Mean, CV=Coefficient of Variation, **p<0.05, ***p<0.001
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 218-222 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 220 The mean number of fruits per plant was 5.41. The highest number of fruits per plant was observed in Majesty (6.53) and the lowest number of fruits per plant was observed in Dynasty (4.53) (Table 1). The mean fruit length per plant was 19.65 cm. The highest fruit length was observed in Bhaktapur local (23.63 cm) followed by Garima (21.14 cm) and the lowest fruit length was observed in Raja (17.62 cm). The mean fruit weight per plant was 310.67 gm. The highest fruit weight was observed in Bhaktapur local (441 gm) while the lowest fruit weight was observed in Majesty (247.5 gm). The effect of varieties on yield in terms of yield per plant and yield per plot among the studied genotypes were found to be significantly different. The mean yield per plant and yield per plot among the genotypes was observed 1.68 and 10.10 respectively. The highest value for yield per plant and yield per plot was observed in Bhaktapur local (2.60 kg and 15.65 kg) respectively while the lowest yield per plant and plot was observed in dynasty (1.34 kg and 8.09 kg) respectively. 3.2 Correlation study among yield and yield contributing characters The correlation study revealed that the yield per plot of cucumber was positively correlated and highly significant with yield per plant (1.00, p<0.001), followed by fruit weight (0.87, p<0.001), fruit length (0.80, p<0.001), plant height (0.74, p<0.001) days to flowering of female flower (0.72, p<0.001), days to flowering of male flower (0.71, p<0.001) and fruit circumference (0.67, p<0.001) (Figure 1). This indicates that the yield of cucumber can be subsequently improved with the improvement in these traits. Similar findings were reported by Bhaiya et al. (2020) in days to flowering of male and female flowers. Nandi et al. (2019) also reported a positive correlation of fruit weight and fruit length with yield. Moreover, the number of fruits per plant was found to be positively but weakly correlated (0.52, p<0.05) with yield per plot while the total number of harvests was found to be non-significant. The total number of harvests was found to be non-significant for all other traits signaling that no other traits, including crop yield, can be improved by changing TNOH. Figure 1 Correlation between various yield parameters Note: FC= Fruit Circumference, FF= Days to flowering of female flowers, FL= Fruit length, FW= Fruit weight, PH= Plant height, MF= Days to flowering of male flowers, NFPP= Number of fruits per plant, TNOH= Total number of harvest, YPPNT= Yield per plant, YPP= Yield per plot
International Journal of Horticulture, 2024, Vol.14, No.4, 218-222 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 221 3.3 Path analysis study The path coefficient analysis techniques involves a method of partitioning the total correlation between the dependent variable and the independent component variable to show the direct and indirect effect. The direct effect directly enhances yield, but the indirect effect influences yield through other traits. The data on path coefficient analysis at the genotypic level shows the direct and indirect effects of significant traits over fruit yield per plot (Table 2). From the data, it is known that fruit weight has highest positive direct effect over fruit yield (0.777), followed by number of fruits per panicle (0.424), plant height (0.180), days to flowering of female flowers (0.076) and total number of harvest (0.011). These traits are directly involved in the high yield of cucumber. Positive direct effect of fruit length, fruit weight, and number of fruits per plant on yield was also reported by Hossain et al. (2010) and Dhiman and Chander (2005). Positive direct effects of average fruit weight on yield were also reported by Kumar et al. (2008). Similarly, fruit circumference (-0.078) shows the most negative direct effect on yield per plot followed by fruit length (-0.051) and days to flowering of male flower (-0.008). These traits can be considered responsible for directly lowering the yield of cucumber. The highest positive indirect effect was found for days to flowering of male flowers and female flowers through fruit weight (0.759). While the highest negative indirect effect was found for plant height through fruit circumference (-0.076). At the genotypic level, the residual effect was found 0.0012. Selection of the traits having direct and indirect positive effect on yield aids to the improvement in total yield of cucumber because they are directly or indirectly involved in increasing the total yield. Table 2 Path coefficient analysis showing direct (bold) and indirect effects of various traits on yield per plot PH MF FF FL FC FW NFPP TNOH PH 0.180 -0.003 0.037 -0.045 -0.076 0.518 0.286 0.006 MF 0.077 -0.008 0.078 -0.041 -0.046 0.759 0.019 0.0002 FF 0.087 -0.008 0.076 -0.042 -0.052 0.759 0.028 0.0005 FL 0.161 -0.006 0.062 -0.051 -0.071 0.704 0.260 0.006 FC 0.174 -0.005 0.050 -0.046 -0.078 0.608 0.169 0.002 FW 0.120 -0.008 0.074 -0.046 -0.061 0.777 0.016 -0.002 NFPP 0.122 -0.0003 0.004 -0.031 -0.031 0.029 0.424 0.012 TNOH 0.104 -0.0002 0.004 -0.027 -0.021 -0.181 0.471 0.011 Note: Residual: 0.0012; FC= Fruit Circumference, FF= Days to flowering of female flowers, FL= Fruit length, FW= Fruit weight, PH= Plant height, MF= Days to flowering of male flowers, NFPP= Number of fruits per plant, TNOH= Total number of harvest 4 Conclusion The experimental findings showed that among the seven varieties used for the experiment, Bhaktapur local was found superior in terms of various traits including fruit yield. Thus, this variety should be selected for cultivation in Rukum East. The correlation study revealed that the yield per plot of cucumber was positively correlated and highly significant with yield per plant followed by fruit weight, fruit length and plant height. These traits ultimately affect the yield of cucumber. Further, Path analysis showed that the fruit weight directly influences the yield of cucumber, and the days to flowering of male flowers and female flowers indirectly influence the fruit yield. Thus, from the correlation studies it is concluded that selection should be made based on higher average fruit weight, fruit length, and plant height to bring desired improvement in the yield of cucumber. Authors’ contributions HPG completed the writing of the original draft, conducted investigations, conceptualized the study, developed the methodology, and carried out data collection and analysis. NA conducted investigations, conceptualized the study, collected data, and performed writing, review, and editing. RS participated in the methodology, performed validation, conducted formal analysis, and carried out writing, review, and editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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