CONTROL OF WEEDS IN THE JAPANESE PUMPKIN HYBRIDS

The Japanese pumpkin known as "Tetsukabuto" is the result of crossing selected lines of squash. Squashes are highly susceptible to weed interference due to slow initial growth, requiring more considerable attention as to their control. Studies focusing on the losses caused by weeds to Japanese pumpkin hybrids are scarce. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the influence of weed control on the fruit yield of Japanese pumpkin hybrid cultivars. A randomized block design with four replications in a 3x4 factorial scheme was used. Three cultivars (Corina F1, Triunfo F1, and Takayama F1) and four weed control periods, without weed control, weed control from 0 to 30 and from 0 to 60 days after transplanting (DAT), and weed control throughout the crop cycle (continuous control) were evaluated. The harvest was carried out at 105 DAT, and it was evaluated population density of the weed community, yield, fruit diameter, fruit fresh mass, number of fruits per plant, pulp thickness, and internal fruit cavity thickness. The weed control from 0 to 60 DAT and continuous weed control resulted in the lowest weed population density and weed dry matter. The weed control from 0 to 60 DAT provided a higher number of fruits per plant, fruit diameter, fruit fresh mass, and thicker pulp. The highest development and fruit yield of Japanese pumpkin hybrids was observed when the plants were free from weed interference until 60 days after transplanting