International Journal of Agricultural Sciences ISSN: 2167-0447 Vol. 2 (11), pp. 291-295, November, 2012. © International Scholars Journals

 Full Length Research Paper

Effects of NPK fertilizer and season on the flowering and sex expression of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo Linn.)

Agbaje G. O., Oloyede F. M.* and Obisesan I. O.

Department of Crop Production and Protection Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]

Received 30 June, 2012; Accepted 09 November, 2012

Abstract

Effects of NPK 15:15:15 compound fertilizer and planting season on flowering and sex expression of pumpkin were analyzed at the Teaching and Research Farm, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria in year 2010. Results deciphered that day to 50% flowering, number of male and female flowers responded to season than fertilizer rates. Late season planting reached 50% flowering 5 days earlier than that of early season. At zero fertilizer rate 50% flowering was attained at 56 days after planting while the application of 250 kg ha^-1 NPK (15:15:15) delayed 50% flowering by 4 days; at 100 – 150 kg NPK ha^-1, the delay was 2 days. Early season had more number of male and female flowers per plant (25) than the late season ones (15). The ratio of male to female flowers was 3:1. Higher number of flowers per plant was obtained at 100 kg NPK ha^-1 (25) than in control (12). However, increasing fertilizer rate above 100 kg does not significantly (P<0.05) improve the number of flowers produced.   

Key words: Fertilizer rates, flowering, season, sex expression, pumpkin.