THE EFFECT OF SELECTED AGRICULTURAL FACTORS ON THE YIELDING OF SPAGHETTI SQUASH (Cucurbita pepo L.)
Wanda Wadas
University of Podlasie, SiedlceKrzysztof Kalinowski
University of Podlasie, SiedlceAbstract
Spaghetti squash is an interesting novelty in Poland. Popularization of spaghetti squash cultivation in our country requires development of agricultural recommendations. The size and the quality of yield is highly affected by the sowing date and plant population. The paper presents the results of a four-year study on the effect of the sowing date (5, 15 and 25 May) and plant spacing (1 × 0.6 m, 1 × 0.8 m and 1 × 1 m, ie. 16,668, 12,500 and 10,000 plants per ha) on the yield of spaghetti squash (‘Makaronowa Warszawska’ and ‘Pyza’) under the soil and climatic conditions of central-eastern Poland. The highest yield per hectare and the largest number of marketable fruits per plant was obtained while sowing on 5 May. Delaying the sowing date resulted in a decrease in the yield per hectare and of the number of marketable fruits per plant, although the average weight of a marketable fruit sown on 15 and 25 May did not significantly differ in comparison
to sowing on 5 May. Increasing the spacings between plants from 1 × 0.6 m to 1 × 1 m resulted in decreasing the yield per hectare, but the number of marketable fruits per plant was larger. Plant spacing did not have a significant effect on the average weight of a marketable fruit. The yield per hectare for the ‘Pyza’ was larger in comparison to the ‘Makaronowa Warszawska’. The number of marketable fruits per plant did not significantly differ, but the weight of the ‘Pyza’ fruit was higher.
Keywords:
spaghetti squash, sowing date, plant spacing, yieldReferences
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University of Podlasie, Siedlce
University of Podlasie, Siedlce
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