Evaluating the effects of defoliation on yield and quality of 'Kayla PLUS' pumpkin (cucurbits moschata)

Author

Kudakwashe, Dephine

Title

Evaluating the effects of defoliation on yield and quality of 'Kayla PLUS' pumpkin (cucurbits moschata)

Abstract

Pumpkin Kayla PLUS Hybrid is an annual crop belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae family, scientifically known as Cucurbita moschata. These pumpkins are particularly suited for both leafy vegetable production and fruit harvesting by the small holder farmers, providing nutrients for humans, making it a versatile choice for small holder farmers. The goal of the study was to evaluate the effects of different levels of defoliation which were no defoliation (control), light, moderate and severe on pumpkin yield and quality, assessing factors such as fruit number, fruit mass and fruit diameter. The study was conducted in an open field using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 4 treatments (defoliation levels: control, light, moderate, and severe) replicated 4 times to give a total of 16 experimental units (plots). Soil type was visually assessed as the blocking factor. The total number of mature fruits per plant and fruit mass were recorded across various treatments at the end of the growing season. The acquired data was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The experiment indicated that there were highly significant differences (P < 0.001) in the pumpkin fruit number, fruit mass and fruit diameter among the different defoliation levels. No defoliation (control), had highest fruit number, mass and diameter, compared to light defoliation, moderate defoliation and severe defoliation respectively. Therefore, the farmers should use light defoliation that balances both leaf harvest and fruit development. Additionally, farmers should also prioritize harvesting lower leaves first

Date

July 2025

Publisher

BUSE

Keywords

Kayla PLUS Hybrid

Defoliation on Yield and Quality

Hybrid Pumpkin

Supervisor

Mrs Kamota