Investigating Mineral Accumulation and Seed Vigor Potential in Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) through Crossbreeding Timing

Bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) is a well-known cucurbit with an active functional ingredient. A two-year field experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Seed Science and Technology, CCS HAU, Hisar, in a randomized block design during the Kharif season (Kharif is one of the two major cropping seasons in India and other South Asian countries, heavily reliant on monsoon rains with the other being Rabi) and the summer season. Five different crossing periods (CP), viz. CP1, CP2, CP3, CP4, and CP5, were considered to illustrate the effects of agro-climatic conditions on the quality and biochemical components of two bottle gourd parental lines and one hybrid, HBGH-35. The average mean temperature for the Kharif season in 2017 was 31.7 °C, and for the summer season, it was 40.1 °C. Flowers were tagged weekly from the start of the crossing period until the end and harvested separately at different times. The fruits harvested from different crossing periods under different environmental conditions influenced the bottle gourd’s qualitative and biochemical traits and showed significant variations among the five crossing period environments. A positive significance and correlation were observed between weather variables and different biochemical characteristics. Henceforth, the CP4 crossing period at a temperature of 31.7 °C retained high-quality seed development, which may be essential in enhancing agricultural productivity and the national economy.