Effect of fertilizers on yield, phytochemical, and antioxidant properties of <i>Cucurbita moschata</i> fruits

Abstract

Abstract The nutritional and functional properties of squashes are influenced by various factors, such as the stage of plant development, soil composition, and type of fertilizer. This study evaluates the impact of various organic fertilizers on Cucurbita moschata D. properties. For this purpose, squashes were fertilized using Ash at 10 kg/25 m 2 , bovine compost at 62.5 kg/25 m 2 , and a 1:1 mixture of ash and bovine compost. Negative control (without fertilizers) and positive control (NPK 20‐10‐10 at 2 kg/25 m 2 ) were included. Post‐harvest, the yield, carotenoids, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and antioxidant activities were assessed. Ash fertilizer resulted in the highest number of fruits per plant (2.20 ± 0.16). Regarding flavonoids, the bovine compost yielded the highest level (428.67 ± 2.62 mg/100 g of edible portion). The mixture of ash and bovine compost produced fruits with the highest content of total carotenoids, β‐carotene, lycopene, and total phenolic compounds (249.7 ± 3.68, 219.80 ± 3.41, 26.07 ± 0.41, and 575.00 ± 9.95 mg/100 g of edible portion, respectively). Moreover, carotenoids extracted from this mixture exhibited the highest inhibition of DPPH and ABTS free radicals (30.87 ± 0.65 and 47.32 ± 1.30%, respectively). This research suggests that the use of a mixture of ash and bovine compost could significantly enhance the yield of squashes and their phytochemical and antioxidant potential.