EVALUATION OF YIELD AND YIELD-RELATED TRAITS IN TINDA GOURD (PRAECITRULLUS FISTULOSUS): IMPLICATIONS FOR VARIETY IMPROVEMENT

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the performance of tinda gourd (Praecitrullus fistulosus) genotypes for yield and yield-related traits under the agro-climatic conditions of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan, during Kharif 2025. A total of nine varieties/hybrids, including advanced breeding lines and one commercial check variety (Dilpasand), were assessed in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications at the Vegetable Research Institute, Faisalabad. Data were recorded for important morphological, reproductive, yield, and quality traits including days to flowering, vine length, fruit firmness, internodal distance, number of fruits per plant, and fruit yield. Significant variability was observed among the tested genotypes for all studied traits. Days to flowering ranged from 40.1 to 50.2 days, while vine length varied between 109.2 and 140.1 cm. Fruit firmness ranged from 2.10 to 6.53 kgf, indicating differences in postharvest quality potential among genotypes. The highest number of fruits per plant (10) and maximum fruit yield (2.086 t ha⁻¹) were recorded in TD 23 F1, followed by APPLE GOLDEN with a yield of 1.817 t ha⁻¹. In contrast, HTG-808H exhibited the lowest yield (0.380 t ha⁻¹). The results demonstrated a strong association between fruit number per plant and overall yield performance. Genotypes combining early flowering, moderate vegetative vigor, and higher fruit set showed superior productivity and adaptation under local conditions. The study identified TD 23 F1 and APPLE GOLDEN as promising genotypes for commercial cultivation and future breeding programs aimed at improving yield and fruit quality in tinda gourd.