Evaluation of Ridge Gourd [Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb.] Genotypes for Yield and Yield Attributing Characteristics
Yogesh Kumar
Department of Horticulture (Vegetable Science), Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Naini Prayagraj, (U.P.) 211007, India and Division of Vegetable Improvement, ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Jakhini (Shahanshahpur), Varanasi, (U.P.)221305, India.
Devi Singh
Department of Horticulture (Vegetable Science), Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Naini Prayagraj, (U.P.) 211007, India.
Tribhuvan Chaubey *
Division of Vegetable Improvement, ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Jakhini (Shahanshahpur), Varanasi, (U.P.)221305, India.
Rajeev Kumar
Division of Vegetable Production, ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Jakhini (Shahanshahpur), Varanasi, (U.P.)221305, India.
Rajesh Kumar
ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Jakhini (Shahanshahpur), Varanasi, (U.P.)221305, India.
Pradyumn Kumar Singh
Department of Plant Pathology, Banda University of Agriculture & Technology, Banda, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Ridge gourd is a nutritionally and economically important cucurbit crop possessing substantial genetic variability in vegetative and floral traits, necessitating the characterization of genotypes to identify superior lines for future crop improvement and breeding programmes.The present experiment was undertaken to evaluate ridge gourd genotypes for yield and yield-contributing traits during the rainy seasons of 2023 and 2024 at ICAR–Indian Institute of Vegetable Research, Varanasi. A total of 65 genotypes, including two checks (Kashi Shivani and Kashi Nanda), were assessed using an augmented block design. Analysis of variance revealed significant variability among genotypes across all traits, confirming substantial genetic diversity in the material. Growth attributes showed wide variation, with the number of primary branches per plant reaching 5.80 (VRRG-4-17) in 2024, while pooled analysis recorded a maximum of 5.00 in VRRG-6A and VRRG-4-17. Secondary branches per plant were highest at 8.20 (VRRG-8-10) in 2024, with a pooled maximum of 7.15 in VRRG-4-10. Sex ratio (male: female) varied considerably, with maximum values of 15.79 (VRRG-59-2016) in 2023, 13.79 (Ridge Gourd-82) in 2024, and 13.83 (VRRG-59-2016) in pooled data. Fruit traits also exhibited diversity, with maximum fruit length of 20.00 cm (VRRG-5A) in 2023 and 20.15 cm (VRRG-68-2016) in 2024, while pooled analysis showed 19.04 cm in VRRG-5A. Fruit girth was highest at 3.90 (VRRG-13-17 and Ridge gourd-12) in 2023 and 4.26 cm (VRRG-10-2016) in 2024, with a pooled maximum of 3.78 cm in VRRG-76-2016. Yield parameters showed considerable variability, with per-plant yield reaching 2.47 kg in 2024 and a pooled maximum of 2.35 kg across VRRG-1-16 and IC-292334. Yield per hectare peaked at 238.50 q ha⁻¹ in 2023 and pooled maximum of 233.15 q ha⁻¹ in VRRG-10-2016. Based on overall performance, genotypes VRRG-10-2016, VRRG-1-16, IC-292334, VRRG-4-10, and VRRG-59-2016 were identified as promising candidates for future breeding programmes aimed at yield improvement in ridge gourd.
Keywords: Genetic variability, yield traits, germplasm evaluation, augmented design