Vol. 9, Special Issue 9, Part M (2025)

Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica L. Roem.) is a short-day crop that thrives under cool temperatures and short photoperiods, with kharif season providing favorable conditions. Evaluation of genotypes is crucial to assess variability in growth, earliness, yield, and quality-related traits. The present study was conducted at the Department of Vegetable Science, College of Horticulture, Bagalkot, Karnataka during rabi 2023 and kharif 2024 seasons. Twenty inbred lines of sponge gourd were evaluated in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with two replications, using the variety Pusa Chikni as a check. Observations were recorded on growth, earliness, flowering, and yield parameters. The results revealed significant seasonal influence on genotype performance. The longest vine length was recorded in G4 (8.18 m) during rabi and G6 (7.49 m) in kharif. Branching was highest in G6 (6.22) and G12 (5.25) in rabi and kharif, respectively. Earliness for female flowering was observed in G5, while the earliest male flowering was noted in G20 across both seasons. The earliest harvest was obtained in G17 (51.70 days) during rabi and G2 (52.20 days) in kharif, while extended harvest duration was shown by G15 and G4. Female flower production was highest in G11 (15.75) in rabi and G9 (18.39) in kharif, whereas G14 and G5 recorded maximum male flowers in respective seasons. Yield parameters also varied with seasons and genotypes. G6 exhibited the highest fruit number (34.40), fruit yield per vine (4.59 kg), and yield per hectare (32.49 t) during rabi. In kharif, maximum yield was recorded in G3 (2.17 kg vine⁻¹, 20.47 t ha⁻¹). Enhanced performance under kharif conditions could be attributed to moderate temperatures, high humidity, and soil moisture supporting vigorous vegetative growth and reproductive efficiency. The identified stable and high-yielding genotypes can be exploited in breeding programs and commercial cultivation.