27 Sep Cultivation of Cucurbits in Off-Season Under Low Tunnel
ऑफ-सीज़न में प्लास्टिक लो टनल में लता वाली सब्जीयों (कुकुरबिट्स) की खेती India is the second largest producer of vegetables in the world next to China. Presently the total vegetable production of India is approximately 169.1 million metric tonnes from a total area of 10.1 million ha under vegetable crops, but the productivity and quality of most of the vegetable crops is very poor due to several biotic and abiotic stress conditions under open field cultivation. Production of vegetables under protected structures such as low tunnel provides the best way to increase the productivity and quality of vegetables, especially cucurbits. Row covers or low tunnels are flexible transparent covering that are installed over the rows or individual beds of transplanted vegetables to enhance plant growth by warming the air around the plants in the open field during winter season. Low tunnels are also advantageous in warming the soil, protecting the plants from bad weather, preventing the plant to get injured and advancing the crop by 30 to 40 days as compared to the normal sowing. Low tunnels technology is mainly suitable for off season cultivation of cucurbits like muskmelon, round melon, long melon, bitter grand, bottle gourd and summer squash etc. Northern parts of the country, where the night temperature during winter season goes below...