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Abstract
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Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L.) is a medicinal plant recently
under common cultivation in Iran. The seeds and its products
are used in the treatment of some diseases. Due to the lack of
information about the intra-row spacing and nutritional
demands of the plant a factorial experiment with Randomized
Complete Block Design with three replications was planned in
Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University Research Field in 2013.
The treatments were 5 levels of Urea fertilizer (0, 50, 100,
150, 200 kg/ha nitrogen), and intra-row spacing in 3 levels
(30, 60 and 90 cm). The result showed that interaction effects
of intra-row spacing and nitrogen treatment had significant
effect on some morphological traits such as plant
height, number of auxiliary branches and leaf number per
plant. Application of 200 kg/ha nitrogen increased the plant
height, the number for auxiliary branches and leaves as well as
the leaves dry mass, mainly due to the prolonged vegetative
growth period and delayed flowering and fruiting.
150 kg/ha nitrogen combined with 60 cm intra-row spacing
hold the highest number of female flowers, fruit number and
intact fruit number and fruit fresh weight, and the highest dry
weight of the intact seeds. The results for some physiological
traits showed that interaction effects of nitrogen and intra-row
spacing had significant effects on chlorophyll b at the late
stages of flowering period and the contents for chlorophyll a
and carotenoids were significant at the end of growing season.
The highest oil content was recorded in 150 kg/ha nitrogen
and 60 cm intra-row spacing. Based on results obtained,
150 kg/ha nitrogen and 60 cm intra-row spacing were the best
regime for the production of this plant.
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