EFFECTS OF SOWING DATE, PLANTING METHOD ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF SUMMER SQUASH (Cucurbita pepo L.) IN UNHEATED PLASTIC HOUSES

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during winter season of 2007/2008 in unheated plastic houses conditions at the College of Agriculture-Basrah University. The aim of this experiment was to study the effect of sowing dates and planting methods on some vegetative growth, flowering and yield of squash c.v "Zucchini hybrid Kriti" .Experiment included 6 treatments (i.e. the interaction among three planting dates (15/10, 1/11 and 15/11) and two planting methods (direct sowing and transplanting). Randomized complete Block Design was used in a factorial experiment. Results showed that, early sowing date (15/10) significantly increased plant length, internodes number and fresh and dry weights of plant , caused the appearance of first female flowers at higher nodes, early appearance of first male and female flower, increased number of male and female flowers , decreased the number of the days from planting till first harvest, increased fruit number/plant, fruit weight, early and total productivity, dry matter of fruits. Direct seeding significantly increased plant length, internodes number and fresh and dry weights of plant, the number of male and female flowers, fruit number/plant, total productivity, compared to the transplanting method. Transplanting method decreased the number of nodes until the formation of the first female flower and caused early appearance of the female flower, decreased the number of day from planting till the first harvest and increased dry matter in fruits .Sowing date on 15/10 and direct sowing gave the highest early and total productivity (2.478 and 11.415 kg/m2), respectively, whereas, sowing date 15/11and direct sowing gave the lowest early and total productivity (1.280 and 5.318 kg/m2), respectively