Poly-tunnel Technology: A Cost Effective and Affordable Method for Early Season Production of Bottle gourd

The research work was conducted at the research farm of Department of Vegetable Science, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during 2011–12. The experiment was laid out in split plot design replicated thrice with five different dates of sowing as main plot treatments i.e. 15th December (D1), 30th December (D2), 15th January (D3), 30th January (D4) & 15th February (D5) and three different growing conditions [Direct seed sowing in open field under straw mulch (M1), Direct seed sowing under poly-tunnel (M2), Transplanting of seedlings under poly-tunnel (M3)] as sub-plot treatments, thus making a total of fifteen treatment combination. The approximate total cost and net returns per hectare for various treatments were calculated from the crop as per recommended package. A difference in respect of production cost was observed for different growing conditions only, not for different sowing dates. However, there was a difference in net return per hectare for both growing conditions and sowing dates due to variation in early and total fruit yield. The lowest total cost of Rs 89285/ha was applied in the M1 growing condition followed by growing condition M2 (Rs 146804/ha) and M3 (Rs 149804/ha). However, the highest net returns of Rs 308710/ha was obtained in the treatment combination M2D1i.e. planting on 15th December (D1) with direct seed sowing under poly-tunnel method (M2) followed by treatment combination M2D2 (Rs 248538/ha) and M3D1 (Rs 245278/ha). The highest cost: benefit ratio also observed for treatment combination M2D1 (1: 3.10) followed by treatment combination M2D2 (1: 2.69) and M3D1 (1: 2.64) respectively.