Abstract
With the global population steadily rising and arable land shrinking, enhancing per-unit area productivity has become a critical challenge, particularly in semi-arid regions where resource limitations further constrain crop yields. Sponge gourd (Luffa aegyptiaca L.), a nutrient-rich summer vegetable, often underperforms in such environments due to unoptimized planting geometry. This two-year field study evaluated the influence of intra-row spacing (1 ft vs. 2 ft) on the vegetative growth, reproductive traits, chlorophyll fluorescence, and nutrient uptake of sponge gourd cv. Advanta, grown in sandy loam soils of Southern Punjab, Pakistan. Closer spacing (1 ft) significantly improved germination by 8.1%, seedling vigor index by 15.9%, plant height by 12%, leaf area index by 58.3%, and crop growth rate by 79.8% compared to wider spacing. It also increased female flower percentage (18.1%), flower diameter (21.4%), fruit set (31.4%), fruit diameter (20.8%), and fruits per plant (55%). Consequently, fruit yield was about 28.1% higher under 1 ft spacing. Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake increased by 12.2% and 19.2%, respectively, with corresponding improvements in nutrient uptake efficiency. In contrast, wider spacing (2 ft) enhanced photosynthetic performance, with increases in quantum yield (9%) and linear electron flow (3.5%). In conclusion, closer intra-row spacing is a practical strategy to meet future food demands by maximizing land use efficiency in cucurbit cultivation. Future work should investigate spacing-nutrient interactions over multiple locations to ensure sustainability in closer intra-row spacing systems.
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Claims 17
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing significantly improved sponge gourd germination by 8.1% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourd
Luffa aegyptiacat0 - Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e1
- Outcome
- germinatione1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- 8.1%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“Closer spacing (1 ft) significantly improved germination by 8.1%, seedling vigor index by 15.9%, plant height by 12%, leaf area index by 58.3%, and crop growth rate by 79.8% compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing significantly improved sponge gourd seedling vigor index by 15.9% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e1
- Outcome
- seedling vigor indexe1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- 15.9%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“Closer spacing (1 ft) significantly improved germination by 8.1%, seedling vigor index by 15.9%, plant height by 12%, leaf area index by 58.3%, and crop growth rate by 79.8% compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing significantly improved sponge gourd plant height by 12% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e1
- Outcome
- plant heighte1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- 12%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“Closer spacing (1 ft) significantly improved germination by 8.1%, seedling vigor index by 15.9%, plant height by 12%, leaf area index by 58.3%, and crop growth rate by 79.8% compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing significantly improved sponge gourd leaf area index by 58.3% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e1
- Outcome
- leaf area indexe1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- 58.3%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“Closer spacing (1 ft) significantly improved germination by 8.1%, seedling vigor index by 15.9%, plant height by 12%, leaf area index by 58.3%, and crop growth rate by 79.8% compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing significantly improved sponge gourd crop growth rate by 79.8% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e1
- Outcome
- crop growth ratee1
- Direction
- improvede1
- Value
- 79.8%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“Closer spacing (1 ft) significantly improved germination by 8.1%, seedling vigor index by 15.9%, plant height by 12%, leaf area index by 58.3%, and crop growth rate by 79.8% compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing increased sponge gourd female flower percentage by 18.1% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- female flower percentagee1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 18.1%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“It also increased female flower percentage (18.1%), flower diameter (21.4%), fruit set (31.4%), fruit diameter (20.8%), and fruits per plant (55%)”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
e3“compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing increased sponge gourd flower diameter by 21.4% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- flower diametere1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 21.4%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“It also increased female flower percentage (18.1%), flower diameter (21.4%), fruit set (31.4%), fruit diameter (20.8%), and fruits per plant (55%)”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
e3“compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing increased sponge gourd fruit set by 31.4% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- fruit sete1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 31.4%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“It also increased female flower percentage (18.1%), flower diameter (21.4%), fruit set (31.4%), fruit diameter (20.8%), and fruits per plant (55%)”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
e3“compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing increased sponge gourd fruit diameter by 20.8% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- fruit diametere1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 20.8%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“It also increased female flower percentage (18.1%), flower diameter (21.4%), fruit set (31.4%), fruit diameter (20.8%), and fruits per plant (55%)”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
e3“compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing increased the number of sponge gourd fruits per plant by 55% compared with wider spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- fruits per plante1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 55%e1
- Comparator
- wider spacinge3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“It also increased female flower percentage (18.1%), flower diameter (21.4%), fruit set (31.4%), fruit diameter (20.8%), and fruits per plant (55%)”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
e3“compared to wider spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Sponge gourd fruit yield was about 28.1% higher under 1 ft spacing.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- 1 ft spacinge1
- Outcome
- fruit yielde1
- Direction
- highere1
- Value
- 28.1%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“fruit yield was about 28.1% higher under 1 ft spacing”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing increased sponge gourd nitrogen uptake by 12.2%.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- Nitrogen and phosphorus uptakee1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 12.2%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake increased by 12.2% and 19.2%, respectively”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing increased sponge gourd phosphorus uptake by 19.2%.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- Nitrogen and phosphorus uptakee1
- Direction
- increasede1
- Value
- 19.2%e1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“Nitrogen and phosphorus uptake increased by 12.2% and 19.2%, respectively”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
Claim · model-written summary
Closer 1 ft spacing came with corresponding improvements in sponge gourd nutrient uptake efficiency.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- Closer spacing (1 ft)e2
- Outcome
- nutrient uptake efficiencye1
- Direction
- improvementse1
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“with corresponding improvements in nutrient uptake efficiency”
e2“Closer spacing (1 ft)”
Claim · model-written summary
Wider 2 ft spacing increased sponge gourd quantum yield by 9%.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- wider spacing (2 ft)e1
- Outcome
- quantum yielde2
- Direction
- increasese2
- Value
- 9%e2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“wider spacing (2 ft)”
e2“increases in quantum yield (9%) and linear electron flow (3.5%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Wider 2 ft spacing increased sponge gourd linear electron flow by 3.5%.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Treatment
- wider spacing (2 ft)e1
- Outcome
- linear electron flowe2
- Direction
- increasese2
- Value
- 3.5%e2
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“wider spacing (2 ft)”
e2“increases in quantum yield (9%) and linear electron flow (3.5%)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude that closer intra-row spacing is a practical strategy to meet future food demands by maximizing land use efficiency in cucurbit cultivation.
- Taxon
- sponge gourdLuffa aegyptiacat0
- Outcome
- practical strategy to meet future food demandse1
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“sponge gourd”
e1“closer intra-row spacing is a practical strategy to meet future food demands by maximizing land use efficiency in cucurbit cultivation”