Effect of Humic acid on growth and yield of three cultivars of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.)

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Egypt. J. Exp. Biol. (Bot.), 13(2): 167 – 171 (2017) © The Egyptian Society of Experimental Biology
DOI: 10.5455/egyjebb.20170521065315
ISSN: 1687-7497 On Line ISSN: 2090 - 0503 http://my.ejmanger.com/ejeb/
R E S E A R C H A R T I C L E
Kamal benyamin Esho
Safwan Hasim Saeed
Effect of humic acid on growth and yield of three cultivars of summer
squash (Cucurbita pepo L.)
ABSTRACT:
The experiment was carried out in the private
vegetable farm , Somail, Duhok government,
during autumn growing season 2015, The aim of
the experim ent was to study the effect of humic
acid on growth and yield of three cultivars of
summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.). The
experiment was a split plot design within three
replicates, in this study, three concentrations of
humic acid were used (0, 25 and 59 mg/ litter),
and three cultivars of summer squash which
were (Alexandria F1, Khatoon F1 and Ardendo
174 F1). The data was recorded on: fresh and
dry weight /plant, number of male, female
flowers, sex ratio, length, diam eter, weight of
fruit, number of fruit/plant and total
yield/hectare. The results show ed that the
concentration at 50 mg/litter of humic acid gave
a significant increase in fresh, dry weight /plant,
fruit length, number of fruits /plant and total
yield, the cultivar Ardendo 174 F1 gave a
significant increase in most traits except the sex
ratio and fruit diameter, and the interaction
between the 50mlg/litter of humic acid and
cultivar Ardendo 174 F1 gave a significant
increase in fresh, dry weight /plant, female
flower /plant , number of fruit/plant and total
yield/hectare. The results showed that there was
higher positive phenotypic correlation coefficient
between the total yield /hectare, fruit weight
with most traits.
KEY WORDS:
Humic acid, cultivar, correlation, squash,
yield.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Kamal benyamin Esho
College of Agriculture and Forestry,
Department of Horticulture and Landscape
design, Mosul University
E-mail: kamalesho@rocketmail.com
Safwan Hasim Saeed
College of Agriculture and Forestry,
Department of Horticulture and Landscape
design, Mosul University
*Part of the M.Sc. thesis for the second
author.
ARTICLE CODE: 17.02.17
INTRODUCTION:
The summer squash is a vegetable
included in Cucurbita genus of the family
Cucurbitaceae. The local name in Iraq is Shijar
or karia. Summer squash planted in Iraq at the
spring and autumn seasons. It is evaluated
according to their characteristics in terms of
which differ significantly from other vegetables
in summer vegetable. Squash fruits, shapes,
sizes, colours, and pulp traits differ significantly
differing between the varieties (Yoldas et al.,
2000; Kaygisiz et al., 2006). Squash is
harvested when the fruits are physiologically
immature (Kathiravan et al., 2006). Hybrid
varieties have higher yield and earliness than
open-pollinated varieties. In autumn season,
squash can be planted in the field after danger
of high temperature (Matlob et al., 1989). Khalil
et al. (1996) recorded that cv Scara squash had
significantly higher fruit number per plant and in
yield compared with the Arab Marrow and
Clarritta squash variety. Abd-Hamed and Elwan
(2011) indicated in their study that it was a
significant relation between fruit weight and fruit
yield per unite area among the three genotype
of pumpkin which are frosty. Camacho et al.
(2006) found a positive and significant
phenotypic correlation among total yield of
pumpkin with each of average fruit weight
number of fruit per plant. Hazara et al. (2007) in
their investigation of 36 pumpkin cultivars
observed that fruit weight and number of fruit
per plant were positively and significantly
correlated. Yoldas (2014), reported that squash
variety STR-07-6001F1 has a significant
increase in the yield, fruit diameter and fruit
size. Humic acid is a promising natural
resource to be used as an alternative for
fertilizers to increase crop production (Nikbakht
et al., 2008). Humic acid is a commercial
product contains many elements which improve
the soil fertility and increase the availability of
nutrients and consequently increase plant
growth and yield, humic acid is the main fraction
of humic substance and the most active
component of soil and compost organic matter,
it has been shown to stimulate plant growth and
consequently yield by acting on mechanisms
involved, cell respiration, photosynthesis, water

Egypt. J. Exp. Biol. (Bot.), 13(2): 167 – 171 (2017)
ISSN: 1687-7497 On Line ISSN: 2090 - 0503 http://my.ejmanger.com/ejeb/
168
and nutrient uptake, and enzyme activities
(Piccolo, 1996; Chen et al., 2004). Hafez (2003)
reported that humic acid application on squash
led to a significant increase in soil organic
matter. Many researchers reported that humic
acid increase fruit yield, number of fruit per
plant, fruit length of squash (Sensoy et al.,
2013; El-masry et al., 2014) and of cucumber
(Bozorgi et al., 2012; El-Nemr et al., 2012;
Sarhan and Yousif, 2012).
The aim of the present study was to show
the effect of humic acid on growth and yield of
three cultivars of summer squash (Cucurbita
pepo L.) and the correlation.
MATERIAL AND METHODS:
The experiment was conducted at the
private farm, Somail, Duhok at Latitude 36 51
38 N, Longitude 42 52 02 E, Altitude 473 (Agro,
2015). Kurdistan region, Iraq during fall season
2015. Three concentrations of humic acid used
in the experiment were (0, 25, and 50 mg/litter)
where as three varieties of summer squash
used in the experiment, which were Alexandria
F1, Khatoon F1 and Ardendo 174 F1, to study
their effects on the growth and yield. The land
was disc plowed, harrowed, and then divided
into growing units consist of one ridge (4 x 1 m)
of 12 plants with 30 cm intra plant spaces.
Other agricultural practices were similarly
carried out to each experimental unit as
following by farmers in the area (Matlob et al.,
1989). The seeds sown directly in the place 3
seeds per pots at 10/8/2015. The experiment
was arranged according to randomized
complete Block Design (Factorial), the humic
acid was the mean plot and the genotype
(varieties) was sub plot with three replicates.
Four plants were selected at random, and
observations were recorded on 10 traits viz:
Fresh and dry weight per plant, number of male
and female flowers per plant, sex ratio, length,
diameter and weight of fruit, number of fruit per
plant and the total yield per hectare. All
statistical analysis carried out with the help of
(Statistical Analysis System V. 9), (SAS, 2001).
The correlation coefficients were estimated
following method by Al-Jibouri et al. (1958).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
Table 1 shows that the application of
humic acid at concentration 50 mg/litter caused
a significantly increased in fresh weight per
plant (gm) compared with 25 mg/litter of humic
acid and untreated plants, the same result was
showed to the dry weight/plant. It showed in
table 1 that the number of male, female flowers,
sex ratio and fruit diameter was not influenced
by the application of humic acid concentration.
The plant treated with 50 mg/litter with humic
acid significantly increased fruit length (15.753
cm), number of fruits /plant (10.496) and total
yield per unit area (8.042 ton/hectare)
compared with the control treatment that gave
lowest fruit length (14.842), number of
fruit/plant (7.044) and total yield (7.319). It is
indicated from above result that the application
of humic acid at (50 mg/litter) differed
significantly increasing in the fresh and dry
weight per plant development is a physiological
process, and may be attributed to that the
humic acid are considered as an important
source of organic matter and their effects on
fresh and dry weight per plant (Nikbakht et al.,
2008). The same result was indicated by
Nikbakht et al. (2011) and Sensoy et al. (2013)
on squash, Sarhan and Yousif (2012) on
cucumber, and Othman and Rady (2014) on
eggplant and tomato.
Table 1. Effect of humic acid concentration on growth and yield of summer squash at the 2015 fall planting season.
*Significant at 5% level.
Concentration
of Humic acid
(mg/litter)
Fresh weight
/plant (gm)
Dry wt./plant
(gm)
Male flowers
/plant
Female
flowers
/plant
Sex
ratio
Fruit
length
cm
Fruit
diameter
cm
No. fruits
/plant
Fruit wt.
(gm)
Total Yield
ton/hectare
0
692.50 b
85.886 c
19.722 a
18.291 a
1.092 a
14.842 b
4.098 a
7.044 c
153.858 ab
7.319 b
25
756.11 a
99.338 b
19.042 a
18.958 a
1.010 a
15.362 b
4.190 a
7.511 b
170.031 a
7.950 b
50
776.17 a
111. a
18.472 a
18.458 a
1.107 a
15.753 a
4.178 a
10.496 a
141.252 b
8.042 a
Table 2 shows that the variety Ardendo
174 F1 gave significant increase in most traits
under the study excepted the fruit diameter,
compared with the two variety, whereas, the
Alexandria F1 gave a lowest in most
characteristics. This result indicated that the
varieties of summer squash were differed in
the growth, flowering and in the yield
component, which was depended on genetic
factors of the genotypes between the varieties
under the study. Many researchers indicated
the same result of their studies on the varieties
of summer squash (Khalil, et al., 1996; Bonilha
et al., 2009; Al-Dosky, 2010; Aurah et al.,
2011; Yoldas, 2014).
Table 2. Effect of squash variety on growth and yield at the 2015 fall planting season. * Significant at 5% level.
Genotype
Fresh
wt./plant
(gm)
Dry wt.
/plant (gm)
Male
flowers
/plant
Female
flowers
/plant
Sex
ratio
Fruit length
cm
Fruit
diameter
cm
No. fruits
/plant
Fruit wt.
(gm)
Total Yield
ton/hectare
Alexandria F1
708.72 b
92.247 b
15.792 b
17.222 b
1.239 a
15.080 b
4.280 a
7.416 b
139.917 b
6.558 b
Khatoon F1
705.56 b
95.110b
16.790 b
18.778 a
1.170 a
15.131 b
4.110ab
8.657 a
162.217 a
7.761 ab
Ardendo 174 F1
810.50 a
108.867 a
20.653 a
24.708 a
0.805 b
15.747 a
4.076 b
8.978 a
162.007 a
8.993a

Esho & Saeed, Effect of humic acid on growth and yield of three cultivars of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.)
ISSN: 1687-7497 On Line ISSN: 2090 - 0503 http://my.ejmanger.com/ejeb/
169
Table 3 shows the interaction between
the humic acid and squash variety on growth
and yield, it indicated that the interaction
between the concentration 50 mg/litter of
humic acid with squash variety Ardendo 174
F1 gave a significant increase in the fresh
and dry weight /plant , number of female
flowers /plant , number of fruits per plant and
total yield / unite area compared with other
treatment under this study which gave (893.83
and 133.300 gm/plant; 20.041, 10.99, and
10.432), respectively. Wherever, the
interaction between the 0 mg/litter of humic
acid with variety Ardend o 174F1 gave a
significant increase in the male flowers
(27.500) flower/plant and in fruit weight
(186.57 gm/fruit) compared with the other
interaction treatment.
Table 3. Effect of interaction between Humic acid and squash variety on growth and yield at the 2015 fall planting season. *
Significant at 5% level.
Conc.
Humic acid
(mg/litter)
Genotype
Fresh wt.
/plant (gm)
Dry wt./plant
(gm)
Male
flowers
/plant
Female
flowers
/plant
Sex ratio
Fruit
length
cm
Fruit
diameter
cm
No. fruits
/plant
Fruit wt.
(gm)
Total Yield
ton/hectare
0
Alexandria F1
689.17bc
87.023cd
15.250c
16.292 c
1.348a
14.677b
4.187a
5.92c
125.95d
5.096c
Khatoon F1
721.00bc
94.300cd
16.417c
19.042ab
1.185a-d
14.500b
4.077a
7.28b
149.05bd
6.858bc
Ardendo 174 F1
667.33c
76.323d
27.500a
19.542ab
0.758c
15.350ab
4.030a
7.933b
186.57a
10.006a
25
Alexandria F1
665.17c
87.385cd
15.875c
17.333bc
1.125a-d
15.193ab
4.333a
6.711bc
168.41ab
7.128bc
Khatoon F1
732.83bc
93.363cd
17.583c
20.00a
1.082a-d
14.927b
4.167a
7.811b
177.59ab
7.851a-c
Ardendo 174 F1
870.33a
117.267ab
23.667b
19.542ab
0.792cd
15.967a
4.070a
8.011ab
164.10a-c
8.873ab
50
Alexandria F1
731.31b
102.333bc
16.250c
18.042ab
1.015a-d
15.370a
4.320a
9.618a
125.39d
10.354a
Khatoon F1
662.83c
97.667bc
16.375c
17.292bc
1.242ab
15.976a
4.087a
10.88a
163.01a-c
11.577a
Ardendo 174 F1
893.83a
133.300a
22.392b
20.042a
0.865b-d
15.924a
4.127a
10.99a
135.35cd
10.432a
Table 4 shows the correlation coefficient
among some agronomic traits of summer
squash during autumn season 2015, the total
yield per unit correlated positively and
significantly with most traits excepted with the
sex ratio it correlated negatively and
significantly, fruit weight and number of fr uit
per plant showed the same result correlated
with the traits. Fruit diameter correlated
positivel y and significantly with the female
flowers and fruit weight, fruit length correlated
positively and significantly with the fresh, dry
weight per plant, male and female flowers per
plant, wherever, the sex ratio correlated
negatively and significantly with the fresh
weight and male, female flowers per plant.
The trait femal e flowers correlated positively
and significantly with fr esh, dry weight and
male flowers, wherever, the male flowers
correlated positively and significantl y with the
fresh and dry weight per plant. The dry weight
correlated positively and significantl y with the
fresh weight per plant. These results are in
consonance with the findings of Marie and
Mohamed (2010), Balkay et al. (2011), and
Tami et al. (2012) on pumpkin, Jahan et al.
(2012) on summer squash, and Naroui Rad et
al. (2014) on melon plant.
Table 4. The correlation coefficients among some traits of genotypes of Cucurbita in the 2015 fall planting season. *, **
Significant at 1% and 5% levels, respectively.
Fresh
wt./plant
(gm)
Dry
wt./plant
(gm)
Male flowers
/plant
Female
flowers
/plant
Sex
ratio
Fruit length
cm
Fruit
diameter
cm
No. fruits
/plant
Fruit wt.
(gm)
Total yield
(ton /hectare)
0.809**
0.867**
0.857**
0.881**
- 0.387*
0.692**
0.221
0.908**
0.661**
Fruit wt. (gm)
0.476**
0.381*
0.541**
0.530**
- 0.354*
0.382*
0.128
0.445**
No. of fruit/plant
0.819**
0.669**
0.874**
0.921**
- 0.351*
0.634**
0.220
Fruit diameter (cm)
0.240
0.203
0.116
0.271*
- 0.105
0.445**
Fruit length (cm)
0.667**
0.638**
0.622**
0,599**
- 0.231
Sex ratio
- 0.351*
- 0.264
- 0.600**
- 0.339*
Female flowers
/plant
0.841**
0.689**
0.854**
Male flower/plant
0.755**
0,640**
Dry wt./plant
(gm)
0.919**

Egypt. J. Exp. Biol. (Bot.), 13(2): 167 – 171 (2017)
ISSN: 1687-7497 On Line ISSN: 2090 - 0503 http://my.ejmanger.com/ejeb/
170
CONCLOUSIONS:
Humic acid at 50 mg/litter showed
promise as an additive for increased in most
the traits under the studies, wherever, the
cultivar Ardendo 174 F1 gave best results for
the most characterize. The interaction treatment
between humic acid at 50 mg/litter with
cultivar Ardendo 174F1 that gave a best result
in m ost traits under the studied cultivars.
There is a p ositively and significantly
correlation coefficient between the total yield
per unit with all traits.
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