EFFECT OF SOWING TIME AND COVERING MATERIAL ON GROWTH AND YIELD PARAMETERS OF OFF-SEASON GROWN WATERMELON UNDER LOW TUNNELPoonam, S.S. Lakhawat, S.K. Sharma, Shalini Pilania, H.K. Jain and S.S. SisodiaAbstract Field trial was carried out at sericulture farm of RCA, Udaipur to investigate the response on growth and yield parameters of watermelon grown on different sowing time under low tunnel covered by different covering material during two consecutive years, i.e. 2020-21 & 2021-22 and also in pooled analysis. Watermelon crop was sown at three sowing date (i.e. S1 : 15th December, S2 : 30th December and S3 : 15th January) and four covering materials (i.e. C0 : no covering, C1 : covering with polythene sheet, C2 : covering with non-woven and C3 : covering with insect net)were used for covering of low tunnels for off season (i.e. winter season) grown watermelon during both the years, i.e. 2020-21 and 2021-22. Distinct meteorological parameters were observed in a systematic way under each treatment combination. Results showed that comparatively higher range of air temperature, relative humidity and light intensity were observed under treatment S1C1 (i.e. sowing date of 15th December + covering of polythene sheet) which influenced the growth of watermelon at all stages as reproduced through higher plant biomass and subsequently the fruit yield. |