RESPONSE OF SQUASH MELON (CITRULLUS VULGARIS VAR. FISTULOSUS) TO FYM AND MULCHING UNDER RAINFED CONDITION OF HOT ARID REGION OF RAJASTHAN

A field experiment was conducted at Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Regional Research Station , Bikaner during  Kharif seasons of 2012 and 2013 on Squash Melon (Tinda) crop under rainfed conditions to evaluate four treatments of Farm Yard Manure  viz.,0,20,30 and 40 t ha-1 and three treatment of mulching viz., no mulch ,straw mulch and plastic mulch. Experiment was conducted in split – plot design with three replications using the Tinda cv. Selection 1. Vine length, numbers of fruits per plant and yield of squash melon (Tinda) crop were significantly influenced by FYM, mulching and their interaction during both the years of experiment. Application of FYM recorded significant improvement in yield up to 30 t ha-1. Averaged across mulching, the yield with application of FYM @ 20, 30 and 40 t ha-1 had 43.3, 83.9 and 87.4 % higher yield compared to control. Application of mulch brought significant improvement in yield and its component. The straw mulch recorded highest vine length, numbers of fruits per plant and yield. Plastic and straw mulch had 24.80 and 42.25 % higher yield than no-mulch. The response of mulch varied with level of FYM application. The highest yield was recorded with application of 40 FYM t ha-1 combined with straw mulch, however the difference between FYM 30 t ha-1  and 40 t ha-1  was non-significant under both straw and plastic mulching.