Squash
 

Land Requirements No Specific requirements. Land should be free from volunteer plants.  
Isolation Requirements

Most of thecucurbits are monoecious in character and a few are dioecious. A number of hermaphrodite and andromonoecious cultivars are also available in some crops. Pollination is largely done by insects. For pure seed production to separate it from fields of other varieties, fields of the same vareity not conforming to vareital purity requirements for certification.

 

 
Cultural Practices
Time of Sowing February to March , June to July.
  

Preparation of Land For transplanting prepare the field to a fine tilth by ploughing and 3to 4 harrowings followed by leveling.  

Source of Land Obtain breeder's/foundation seeds from source approved by a seed certification agency.  

Seed Rate 5kgs per hectare.  

Sowing of Seeds Seeds are sown either on one side, or both sides of the channels. The channels are irrigated and seeds are sown on ridges at a place above water level, so that the water is received by capillary movement. In case of early sowing, sprouted seeds are sown on the ridges. Tow or three seeds may be sown on each hill and subsequently thinned out.  

Fertilisation Apply 25 to 50 tonnes of well-rotted farmyard manure at the time of land preparation; and 300 kg of Superphosphate, 100 kg potassium sulphate and 125 kg of ammonium sulphate or C.A.N. should be mixed at 500 gm per pit while preparing pits for sowing. Top-dress 125kg ammonium sulphate or C.A.N. at the time of flowering.  

Transplanting    

Spacing Two metres between channels, and one metre between plants.  

Irrigation Irrigate every third or fourth day during summer and number of irrigations for the rainy season would depend upon the number of rainy days.  

Interculture    

Insect and Disease Control Adopt recommended IPM methods  

Roguing Remove the off types.  

Harvesting and Extration of Seeds

Seeds are ready to harvest when fruits redden and seeds inside the shell break readily from the pulp. Immature seeds adhere to pulp. Fruits are picked from plants and piled. The fruits are cut in half and the seeds scooped out and the contents dried in the sun. the seeds are removed from the flesh by rubbing over a sieve, and finally winnowed to remove light matter. Seeds may be washed , if necessary, and dried in trays and stored in a cool, dry place.

  

Seed Yield The average seed yield varies from300 to 500 kg per hectare.