| Abstract | Provedenim pokusom u Istočnoj Slavoniji, Vukovarsko-srijemskoj županiji, u razdoblju 2021. godine analizirano je nicanje, rast, cvatnja i prinos kiwana (Cucumis metuliferus E. Meyer Ex. Naudin). Predmet istraživanja bio je utvrditi agro-morfološke razlike u sustavu proizvodnje kiwana uzgajanog pri različitim sustavima kontrole korova i različitim rokovima sjetve. Pokus je postavljen u obliku 3 × 3 faktorskog plana sa tri ponavljanja. Faktori su uključivali tri načina suzbijanja korova (primjena pšenične slame kao malča, kultivacija i kontrolna zakorovljena varijanta) te tri roka sjetve, tj. rani, srednji i kasni. Za vrijeme provođenja pokusa razvila se tipična zajednica ljetnih okopavinskih korovnih svojti gdje su dominaciju preuzeli pršljenasti muhar [Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv.] i oštrodlakavi šćir (Amaranthus retroflexus L.). Ostale korovne svojte bile su niske relativne gustoće i frekvencije po jedinici površine te slabog utjecaja na uzgajane biljke. Tretmani suzbijanja korova bili su izrazito učinkoviti u usporedbi sa zakorovljenom kontrolom. Međutim, pokazalo se da je rok sjetve presudan faktor za uspješnu proizvodnju kiwana i imao je utjecaja ne samo na nicanje, rast i cvatnju, već i na broj i veličinu plodova. Zaključno, srednji rok sjetve i kultivacija kao mjera suzbijanja korova pokazali su najveći agronomski potencijal za kultivaciju kiwana, a sljede srednji i rani rok sjetve uz primjenu malča za suzbijanje korova. |
| Abstract (english) | Seed germination, growth, flowering, and yield of kiwano (Cucumis metuliferus E. Meyer Ex. Naudin) were examined in eastern Slavonia, Vukovarsko-Syrmia county, during the 2021 growing season. The objective of this research was, therefore, to determine agromorphological diversity within kiwano grown under different weed management practices and sowing dates. The experiment was arranged as a 3 × 3 factorial design with three replications. Factors included three weed management options (e.g., wheat straw mulch, cultivation, and weeded control) and three sowing dates (i.e., early, mid and late May). A typical summer weed community that had developed during the experiment was dominated mainly by the brist y foxtail [Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv.] and redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.). Other weed species had lower relative density and frequency per unit area, hence, the lower impact on the crop. Kiwano yield decreases due to the presence of weeds by 71 % and 74 % in comparison with the permanently weeded treatments (mulch and cultivation throughout the vegetation season, respectively). Weed control measures were highly effective compared to weedy control plots. However, the sowing date appears to be a limiting factor in kiwano production, thus influencing not only emergence, growth, and flowering, but also fruit number and size. This study concluded that mid-sowing date and cultivation as a weed control measure are of the highest agronomic potential for kiwano production, followed by mid and early sowing date along with mulch as a main weed control measure, respectively. |
