Abstract:
A field experiment was conducted to examine the effect of growth regulators (IAA and
Ripen-15) and fertilizer management practices on the flowering, fruit set and yield of
bitter gourd (Hybrid Corolla- Penta Green) during April to July 2007 at the Horticulture
farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka. The experiment was considered of
two factors. Factor A: Different plant growth regulators viz. control (H
),
Ripen-15 (H
2
) and IAA+Ripen-15 (H
) and Factor B: Fertilizer management practices
viz. control (F
0
), organic manure (F
1
3
) and inorganic manure (F
). It was laid out in the
two factors Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The
data obtained for different characters were statistically analyzed to find out the
significance of the PGR’s and fertilizer management practices. The tallest plant at 1st
flowering time (163.90 cm), the lowest ratio of male and female flower (3.08), the
maximum fruit weight (129.10 gm) were recorded from the application of IAA+Ripen-15
(H
3
2
) but the maximum number of fruit (18.26) and highest yield per hactare (21.89) was
found from application of Ripen-15 (H
) and the minimum was recorded in control
condition. The tallest plant at 1st flowering (160.72 cm), the lowest ratio of male and
female flower (3.06), the maximum number of branches (11.86), nodes (26.33), female
flowers (23.72), fruits (16.35), maximum fruit weight (119.92 gm) per plant and the
highest yield (19.11 t/ha) were recorded from the application of inorganic fertilizer (F
2
)
and the minimum was recorded in control condition. Interaction effect between plant
growth regulators and fertilizer management practices showed a statistically significant
variation incaseof most of the recorded characters. The combination of Ripen-15 and
inorganic fertilizer (H
2
F
) gave the highest gross return (Tk. 510,000) which is closely
followed by combination of Ripen-15 and organic fertilizer (H
2
2
F
). The lowest gross
return (Tk. 208,000) was obtained in the control condition where no plant growth
1
0
), IAA (H
1
2
regulator as well as no fertilizer was applied. The combination of Ripen-15 and inorganic
fertilizer (H
2
F
) gave highest benefit cost ratio (2.47) and the lowest benefit cost ratio
(0.61) was obtained in combination of control conditions (H
2
).
