Effects of fertilizer rates and cutting frequency on the marketable vegetable and pod yields in fluted pumpkin in southeastern Nigeria

Field plot studies were conducted on the effects of fertilizer rates and frequencies of cut on fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentatis) growth and yield parameters. Treatments comprised four levels of commercial N20P10K10 and four cutting intervals. These were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment was conducted at Nsukka which is located at Latitude 060 52'N, longitude 070 24't, and on altitude 447.2m above sea level. The site was characterized as tropical ultisol of sandy loam texture. Frequent harvests of 2- and 4- weekly intervals yielded significantly (P < 0.5) higher marketable vegetable yield (leaf and shoot), and produced greater number of branches than lax or infrequent harvest of 6- or 8- weekly interval. Vegetable yield was increased with incremental application of N20 P10 K10 fertilizer rate. Marketable vegetable yield was best at 2- to 4- weekly interval of cut combined with 500 or 750 kg ha-1 of N20P10 K10 fertilizer rate. The 6- and 8- weekly intervals of cut significantly (P < 0.5) produced more pods than 2- or 4- weekly interval, but did not differ significantly from each other. A combination of 750 kg N20P10 K10 ha-1 with lax cutting of 8- weekly interval gave the highest number of pods and the greatest average weight of pods.Agro-Science Vol. 4 (1) 2005: pp. 66-6