Seed :: Vegetables

Seed :: Vegetables :: Pumpkin

Season
January – February and June - July .

Seed rate
1 kg/ha.

Spacing:
Pit size : 45 x 45 cm at a distance of 2.5 x 2.0 m.

Fertilizer
FYM :10 kg/ pit. NPK mixture 6:12:12 is applied @ 100 g per pit as basal and 30 days after sowing, nitrogen is applied @ 10 g N/pit.

Foliar application
Spraying maleic hydrazide @ 400 ppm at 2 leaf stage and 5 leaf stage or ethrel @ 250 ppm for four times at weekly interval commencing from 15th day after sowing enhances the female flower production

Harvest
Seeds attain physiological maturity 16 weeks after flowering. The fruits are harvested when surface turned waxy and shiny. At full maturity, the fruit colour changes to yellow or orange yellow accompanying with drying of fruit stalk.

Seed extraction
Fruits weighing less than 1.5 kg should not be used for seed extraction. Fruits are cut and seeds with pulp are scooped out and seeds are separated by washing with water and dried

Grading
Seeds are graded with BSS 4 x 4 wire mesh sieve (6.2 mm) or 16/64" round perforated metal sieve.

Seed yield
250-300 kg/ha

Storage
Seeds dried to 7 - 8 % moisture content and treated with carbendazim 50 % WP @ 2 g / kg seed or halogen formulation (Bleaching powder + CaCO3 + arappu leaf powder @ 5:4:1) @ 3 g/kg can be stored for 10 months in cloth bag and 18 months in moisture vapour proof container