Effect of Microbe-Enriched Seed Cone Technology on Growth, Fruit Yield and Seed Productivity of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Abstract

Seed cone technology is a promising seed enhancement approach that provides a protective and biologically active microenvironment around the seed, thereby promoting improved crop establishment and productivity. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of microbe-enriched seed cones on the growth and yield of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) under field conditions. The experiment was conducted in a Randomised Block Design with nine treatments and three replications at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, College of Agriculture, Vellanikkara, Kerala Agricultural University. Seed cones were prepared using different combinations of soil, sawdust, vermicompost, Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizae (VAM), Pseudomonas fluorescens, Beauveria bassiana and micronutrients. Observations were recorded on crop establishment, flowering, fruit yield attributes and seed yield parameters. The results revealed that seed cone treatments did not significantly influence days to emergence or days to 50% flowering, with T₁ [Soil (700 g) + Sawdust (190 g) + Vermicompost (40 g) + VAM (50 g) + Pseudomonas fluorescens (10 g) + Beauveria bassiana (10 g)], T₄ [Soil (700 g) + Sawdust (210 g) + Vermicompost (40 g) + VAM (50 g)], T₅ [Soil (700 g) + Sawdust (250 g) + Vermicompost (40 g) + Pseudomonas fluorescens (10 g)] and T₆ [Soil (700 g) + Sawdust (250 g) + Vermicompost (40 g) + Beauveria bassiana (10 g)] recording the earliest emergence (6.33 days), while T₇ recorded the earliest attainment of 50% flowering (46.33 days). Significant differences were observed for fruit length, average fruit weight, fruit yield per plant, number of seeds per fruit and seed yield per plant. The fully enriched seed cone treatment (T₁) produced the highest fruit length (20.30 cm), average fruit weight (193.46 g), fruit yield per plant (2.36 kg), number of seeds per fruit (36.00) and seed yield per plant (84.05 g). The findings suggest that microbe-enriched seed cone technology has the potential to enhance fruit and seed productivity in bitter gourd and can serve as a sustainable approach for improving crop performance under field conditions.