Effect of Pruning on Vegetative Growth, Flowering and Yield of Round Melon (Citrullus Vulgaris Var. Fistulosus) Var. Hissar Selection

The studies on the effect of pruning on growth, flowering and yield of round melon crop were undertaken. Five pruning treatments i.e., control/no pruning, pruning to one primary shoot, two primary shoots, three primary shoots and four primary shoots were tried. Vegetative growth of plants was improved under all the pruning treatments in comparison to control plants. Female flowers appeared early in plants where pruning was done to three primary shoots. Sex-ratio was narrowed by all pruning levels as compared to no pruning. The maximum number and weight of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plot and quintals per hectare were harvested where pruning was done to four primary shoots followed by three primary shoots and the calculated cost/benefit ratio was 2.88 where pruning was done to four primary shoots.