Comparative assessment of pumpkin varieties in the Udmurt Republic

Relevance. Pumpkin is a food, medicinal and fodder crop of the Cucurbitaceae family. It is valued for its high content of vitamins, minerals, organic acids. At present, thanks to the huge variety of species and modern selection, it is possible to select pumpkin varieties for cultivation in almost any region, including areas with short and not too hot summers. Udmurtia belongs to the zone of risky farming, the end of spring frosts is observed on average in the first ten days of June, and autumn frosts on the soil are possible at the end of August. Due to the short frost-free period, it is necessary to choose earlier maturing varieties, grow the crop through seedlings and use temporary shelters. The pumpkin fruit is usually large in size, is a thick layer of pulp, covered with a dense peel. When cutting such a fruit, the pumpkin is not stored in the future, it requires urgent processing. In this connection, in recent years, portioned varieties of pumpkin, the size of the fruit of which does not exceed 1.5–3.0 kg, have become increasingly in demand.Materials and Methods. The purpose of the research: a comparative assessment of varietal characteristics of growth and productivity of pumpkin species. In 2020–2021 in the conditions of the Udmurt Republic, experiments were carried out to study the characteristics of growth and productivity of pumpkin varieties. We studied varieties of pumpkin: Pearl, Crumb, Honey Tale, Marble, Rossiyanka, Smile, Candied fruit.Results and its discussion. Within two years, pumpkin varieties of large-fruited and nutmeg were studied. On average, for two years, the pumpkin Medovaya skazka distinguished itself with the highest yield. In 2021, the yield for the Medovaya Skazka variety was 64.7 t/ha. The yield increase was obtained due to an increase in fruit weight, which in 2020 amounted to 2.9 kg, in 2021 - 6.5 kg. The studied varieties of pumpkin differed in quality indicators of fruits. On average, over two years, the varieties Rossiyanka and Mramornaya showed an increase in the content of water-soluble sugars in fruits. The fruits of the pumpkin Candied fruit and Kroshka were distinguished by a high content of dry matter.