EVALUATION OF EFFECT OF CONVENTIONAL AND NEEM COATED UREA ON SUMMER SQUASH (Cucerbita pepo L.)

Response of conventional and neem coated urea on summer squash (Cucerbita pepo l.) was evaluated through a field experiment conducted at the experimental farm of School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara during summer season of 2016.The treatments comprised of different levels and timings of application of prilled urea and neem coated urea which were compared against control and absolute control. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results showed that highest plant height (35 cm) was noticed in plots where neem coated urea was used at 100% recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF) @ 100 kg per ha. Lowest plant height (29 cm) was observed in absolute control conditions. The highest number of branches (14) per plant was noticed in plots treated with neem coated urea as basal dose @ 100 kg per ha. Lowest number of branches (9) was recorded in plots where conventional prilled urea was used at 75% RDF. The maximum fruit length (5.45 cm) was obtained in case of use of conventional prilled urea at 125% and 100% RDF. The minimum fruit length was observed in absolute control (4.77 cm) and control (4.90 cm) conditions. However, statistically all the treatments affected fruit length in a similar way and it was statistically in- significant. The highest fruit diameter (5.24 cm) was estimated in plots where neem coated urea was used at 125% RDF. The minimum fruit diameter was recorded in absolute control (4.36) and control (4.44) conditions. However, all the treatments showed non-significant variation with respect to their effect on diameter of fruits. The highest total number of fruits per plant was recorded in plots where neem coated urea at 75% RDF was applied. Lowest number of total fruits per plant was recorded in treatment where basal dose of neem coated urea @100 kg per ha was applied. The maximum fruit weight (93.61 gm) was noticed in plots where neem coated urea was used at 125% RDF. Lowest fruit weight (67.77 gm) was recorded in control conditions. However, differences in various treatments with respect to individual fruit weight were statistically non- significant. The highest fruit yield (3369 kg per ha) was observed by the use of conventional urea as basal dose @ 100 kg per ha followed by use of conventional urea at 125% RDF (2786 kg per ha). Lowest fruit yield was observed in control (1706 kg per ha).