Pumpkin Cultivation

Area and production

• Pumpkin is grown throughout India. As it tolerates hotter conditions than the other cultivated species of Cucurbita. Major pumpkin growing states of India are Orissa, Assam, Rajasthan and Punjab.
• Orissa cover about 85% area and 90% production of pumpkin cultivation.
• In 2018 according to NHB database total pumpkin cultivated area is 78,000 hac. with the production of 17,14,000 MT.

Important Points

• The toxic substance present in pumpkin is choline esterase.
• Yeruseeri: is prepared from immature fruits famous in Kerela
• Pumpkin is a monecious plant but some cultivar produces more no. of male flower than female so these cultivars are used as pollinator varieties along with female producing varieties at the ratio of 1:3 male and female respectively.
• Pollination through honey bees.
• Flowers of pumpkin have more nutritive value than fruits.
• An insecticide is prepared from seeds of pumpkin by Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad.
• Insecticidal properties due to Kyamocine -2 chemical.

Economic importance

• Immature and mature fruits are cooked as a vegetable and mature sweet flesh is used to prepare halwa, sweets and jam also.
• They can also be candied or fermented to give a beverage.
• The Yerusseri or erissery prepared from immature fruits is very popular in Kerala. Pumpkin erissery is a mild and tempered curry with light sweet tones made with pumpkin, cowpeas & coconut.
•  The fruit is also mixed with tomato in the preparation of the sauce.
• The seeds after removing from seed coats are used in confectionery.
• The young leaves, flowers and fruits are rich in carotene, a precursor of vitamin A.
• Medicinal uses of pumpkin to reduce tapeworm infection and its use as a diuretic. 

Climate and Soil

• The plant requires long warm weather but it can survive in low temperature.
• The optimum temperature 25 -30⁰C requires for successful cultivation. Above 40°C and below 15°C the growth of the plant will be very slow and the yield goes down.
• Short-days, low-night temperature and high relative humidity are best for pumpkin production.
• Well-drained, deep and rich in organic matter Sandy loam or loamy soil is preferred.
• Due to the long taproot system, it is also suitable for river beds.
• The best pH should be 6.0-7.0. Pumpkin is sensitive to acidic soils.

Varieties

• Arka Suryamukhi: Resistant to fruit fly, IIHR
• Arka Chandan: Pleasant Aroma, IIHR
• Pusa Viswas
• Pusa Vikas
• Co. 1 : TNAU
• Co. 2 : TNAU
• Ambili: KAU, Vellanikkara
• Saras: KAU, Vellanikkara
• IIHR 93-1-1-1
• VRM 5-10: Resistant to green motle virus and Downy mildew.
• CM 14:
• Sonal Badami: YSPUH&F.Solan
• Sooraj: KAU, Vellanikkara
• Suvarna: KAU, Vellanikkara
• Pusa Hybrid-1: Hybrid
• CM-350
• Azad Kaddu
• Narendra Agrim
• Narendra Amrit
• NDPK 24
• Golden Hubbard
• Green Hubbard
• Barsathi
• Chaitali
• S-107
• S-101
• Australian Green

Sowing Time

• This crop is grown in summer and rainy seasons.
• In South India, pumpkin is sown throughout the year but the best time is June-July and December-January.
• In North Indian hills the crop is sown in April-May
• June-July or January-March in plains of North India.

Seed Rate

• For one hectare of planting about 5-6 Kg seeds are required.

Methods of Sowing

• Seeds are sown on ridges or raised beds at a spacing of 1.5m X 0.75m. Generally, 3-4 seeds are sown in a pit.

 Manure and Fertilizers

• The doses of manures and fertilizers depend upon the soil type, climate and system of cultivation.

Table: The recommended dose for some states are given below

•  Well rotten FYM is applied as basal dose along with the full dose of phosphorus and potash and half dose of nitrogen.
• The remaining nitrogen is to be applied in two equal split doses at the time of vine growth and at the time of full blooming.
• In general, high N under high-temperature condition promotes male flowers resulting in low fruit set and low yield.

Irrigation

• During initial stages of growth, irrigation the crop at an interval of 3-4 days Later irrigation may be given at 5-7 days intervals.
• At the time of flowering and fruiting, irrigation should be given on alternate days. Excessive irrigation at maturity affects the storability.

Weed control

• 2-3 weeding may be done during the early stage of growth.
• During the time of manuring, raking of soil should be done.
• According to Khurana et al. (1988), pre-plant incorporation of Besulide @ 4-6kg/ha or Alachlor 2.5kg/ha as pre-emergence can be used for weed control in pumpkin.

Use of Growth regulators

• Ethrel can be applied to increase the female flower production which helps to increase the yield.
• The first spray has to be given at 2 true leaf stage (15 days after sowing) and second at 4 leaf stage.

Training and Pruning

• Excessive vine growth can be pruned manually to promote higher female to male ratio.
• Then the plants are irrigated immediately. Generally, vine trained on the ground itself.

Harvesting

• It is better to harvest at the tender stage as a vegetable, this increases the yield. But for storage and seed extraction, it should be harvested only after full maturity.  
• At full maturity stage, it can be store 4-6 months.
• The pumpkin crop will reach maturity in about 75-180 days after seed sowing depending on the variety, season and other conditions.
• Fully matured fruits have to be harvested after the skin colour has turned completely brown from green colour and the pedicel (fruit stalk) separates from the vine or dried.

Yield

• The yield varies from 150-190 q/hac. in the rainy season and from summer season the yield varies from 67 to 75 q/hac.

Plant protection measures