Bitter Gourd Area Under Cultivation The important bitter gourd growing states are Maharashtra, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Kerela, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Assam Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
Botanical Name : Momordica charantia Family : Cucurbitaceae Plant Discription : It is a luscious,climbing vine with slightly fuzzy stems clothed with dark green, deeply lobed leaves and yellow, dioecious flowers.
Centre of Origin : Tropical Asia Pollination System : Cross pollinated Chromosome No. : 2n=22 Nutritional Levels: Moisture (%)
Protein (%)
Fat (%)
Mineral matter (%)
Fibre (%)
Carbohydrate (%)
Calories (K Cal)
92.4
1.6
0.2
0.8
4.2
4.2
25
Phosphorus (mg/100g)
Potassium (mg/100g)
Calcium (mg/100g)
Magnesium (mg/100g)
Iron (mg/100g)
Sodium (mg/100g)
Copper (mg/100g)
70
152
20
36
0.61
17.8
0.1
Manganese (mg/100g)
Zinc (mg/100g)
Sulphur (mg/100g)
Chlorine (mg/100g)
Molybdium (mg/100g)
Cromium (mg/100g)
0.08
0.46
15
8
0
0.005
Carotene (mg/100g)
Thiamine (mg/100g)
Riboflavin (mg/100g)
Niacin (mg/100g)
Vitamin C (mg/100g)
Choline (mg/100g)
Folic acid-Free (mg/100g)
126
0.07
0.09
0.5
88
0
0
Minerals
Vitamins
Folic acid- Total (mg/100g) 0
Bitter Gourd Diseases Powdery Mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea) : This disease is favored by high humidity and tends to occur on older leaves first. Symptoms first appear as white powdery residue primarily on the upper leaf surface. On the lower surface of the leaves circular patches or spots appear. In severe cases, these spread, coalesce and cover both the surfaces of the leaves and spread also to the petioles, stem, etc. Severely attacked leaves become brown and shrivelled and defoliation may occur. Fruits of the affected plants do not develop fully and remain small. Control: Carbendazim (1ml/litre of water) or Karathane (0.5 ml/litre of water) is sprayed immediately after the appearance of the disease. 2-3 sprays are taken at an interval of 15 days.
Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum) : Initially the plants show temporary wilting symptoms, which becomes permanent and progressive, affecting more vines. The leaves of the affected plants show yellowing, loose turgidity and show drooping symptoms. Eventually, the plant dies. The roots are not affected. In older plants, leaves wilt suddenly and vascular bundles in the collar region become yellow or brown. Control: Three sprays of Karathane (6 g in 10 litres of water) or Bavistin (1 g /litre of water) immediately on appearance of initial symptoms at 5-6 days interval controls the disease. Leaves of fully grown vines should be thoroughly drenched during spraying.
Downey Mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis) : It is prevalent in areas of high humidity, especially when summer rains occur regularly. The disease is first seen as yellow angular spots on the upper surface of the leaves. Under conditions of high humidity, whitish powdery growth appears on the lower surface of the leaves. The disease spreads rapidly killing the plant quickly through rapid defoliation. Control: Excellent control of this disease can be achieved with Ridomil (1.5 g/litre of water) which must always be used simultaneously with a protectant fungicide such as Mancozeb (0.2%) to prevent the development of resistant strains.
Bitter Gourd Mosaic : This virus disease is mostly confined to the leaves with symptoms appearing on the leaves in the secondary branches produced at the apical end of the plant. Small irregular yellowish patches are seen on the leaves. Some leaves show vein clearing in one or two lobes of the leaf and severely infected plants show reduction in leaf size and elongation and/or suppression of one or two lobes. Young developing leaves are completely distorted and malformed with considerable reduction in their size. Some of the leaves show marked reduction in the development of lamina resulting in a shoestring effect. The virus is transmitted by five species of aphids. Control: Spraying the crop just after germination with Monocrotophos (0.05%) or Phosphamidon (0.05%) at 10-day intervals prevents aphid vectors.
Bitter gourd Witches' Broom : Plants infected in the early stages do not bear any fruit and the loss is 100%. Characteristic symptoms of this disease are malformation and proliferation of axillary buds. Diseased plants show many abnormally little leaves, which fail to attain full size. The diseased plants bear many flowers and blossom earlier than healthy plants. Flowers on infected plants show characteristic green, phyllody symptoms. Fruit formation is noticed from the flowers partially infected with the disease. Fruits from these flowers are very small, cylindrical and deformed. The outer surface of the fruits is smooth and fruits are completely seedless. Plants showing severe witches' broom do not bear any fruit. Control: Application of Carbofuran (1.5 kg a.i./ha) at the time of sowing seeds followed by 5-6 foliar sprays of either Phosphamidon (0.05%) or Monocrotophos (0.05%) or Oxydematon Methyl (0.05%) at 10 days interval, to control the vector population. Spraying of Oxytetracycline hydrochloride solution (500 ppm) at weekly intervals suppress the disease symptoms
Bitter Gourd Harvesting The crop of bitter gourd takes about 55-60 days from seed sowing to reach first harvest. Further pickings should be done at an interval of 2-3 days as bitter gourd fruits mature very fast and turn red. Picking of fruit at the right edible maturity stage is dependent upon individual kinds and varieties. Normally the picking is mainly done when fruits are still tender and green so that the fruits do not turn yellow or yellowish orange during transport. Harvesting should be done in the morning hours and the fruits should be stored in shade after harvesting.
Yield : The yield of bitter gourd varies according to the system of cultivation, variety, season and several other factors. The average fruit yield varies from 8 to 10 t/ha.
Bitter Gourd Intercultural Operations Weeding: The crop needs 2-3 weeding operations in order to keep if free from weeds. Normally the first weeding is done 30 days after planting. Subsequent weeding is done at a monthly interval.
Bitter Gourd Irrigation In rainy season crop, irrigation may not be necessary at all, if rainfall is well distributed between July and September. Usually ridges are irrigated a day or two prior to planting of seeds and the next irrigation, preferably light, is given 4 or 5 days after planting of seeds. Subsequently the irrigation is given at weekly intervals. It is necessary to keep the moisture well maintained at the root zone, to promote rapid taproot development.
Bitter Gourd Manuring & Fertilization The fertilizer doses to be applied depend on variety, fertility of soil, climate and season of planting. Generally well decomposed FYM (15-20 t/ha) is mixed with the soil during ploughing. The recommended dose of fertilizer to be applied per hectare is 50-100 kg N, 40-60 kgP 2O5 and 30-60 kg K2O. Half the N and entire P & K should be applied before planting. The balance N is given at the time of flowering. The fertilizer is applied in a ring at 6-7 cm from the base of the stem. It is better to complete all the fertilizer applications just before the fruit set.
Bitter Gourd Pests Red Pumpkin Beetle (Aulacophora foveicollis) : The pest attacks the melons at the seedling stage. They make holes in cotyledonary leaves of watermelon. As a result the seedlings in the young stage die. Control: Spraying Carbaryl (4 g/litre of water) or Metacid (1ml/litre of water) during the seedling stage effectively controls the pest.
Aphids (Aphis sp.) : Aphids damage the plants by sucking the leaf sap. in young stage, cotyledonary leaves crinkle and in severe cases the plants wither. The leaves of fully grown vines turn yellow and plant loses its vigour. Control: The aphids can be easily controlled by spraying Malathion (0.1 %) or Metasystox (0.1-0.2%) or Rogor (0.1-0.2%) sufficiently early before the attack becomes severe. Usually sprays against aphids and beetles can be combined.
Fruit Fly (Dacus cucurbitae and Ducus dorsalis) : The fly attack is severe, especially after summer rains when the humidity is high. Maggots of this fly causes severe damage to young developing fruits. The adult fly lays eggs in the flowers. The eggs hatch into maggots, which feed inside the fruits and causes rotting. Control: There is no direct control of maggots because they are inside the developing fruits. The affected fruits should be regularly pinched off and buried in a pit. Spraying of Endosulphan or Thiodan @ 6 ml per 4.5 litres of water during flowering stage partially checks the fly incidence. However, spraying should be done in the evening to prevent the repellent action to pollinating insects like bees from insecticidal sprays.
Bitter Gourd Post Harvest Technology Grading : The fruits are graded as per its size and colour. Generally, 20-25 cm long green fruits with short neck and tubercles are preferred.
Packaging : The fruits are packed in bamboo baskets or wooden boxes. Before packing neem leaves or newspaper is spread at the bottom as padding material. Fruits are carefully piled up and covered with gunny bags before sending to the market.
Storage : As the fruits are consumed fresh, they are temporarily stored in shade before packing and transporting.
Bitter Gourd Planting Land Preparation: The land is ploughed and brought to a fine tilth by 1-2 crosswise ploughing and levelled. Furrows are opened at a
distance of 1.5-2.5 m depending on the support system to be adopted.
Method of Planting: In the plains, the summer season crop is sown from January to February, whereas the rainy season crop is sown in the month of May. For planting one hectare area 4-5 kg of seed is required. Before planting the seed is treated with Thiram (3 g/kg of seed).
Plant Support: Bitter gourd being a weak climber needs support for its growth. The plants trailed on the support (bower) continues to give yield for 6-7 months as against 3-4 months when trailed on the ground without support. Such vines are less susceptible to pest and diseases as they do not come in direct contact with the soil. In bower system, planting is done at a spacing of 2.5 x 1m. Furrows are opened up at 2.5 m and irrigation channels are laid out at 5-6 m distance. Wooden poles (3 m in height) are pitched o n both the ends of alternate furrows at a distance of 5 m. these poles are connected with wires. The wires along the furrows are further connected with cross wires fastened at 45cm distance so as to form a network of wires. Seeds are dibbled at distance of 1 m along the furrow and covered lightly with soil. The vines take about 1.5-2 months to reach the bower height, hence the vines during the initial stages of growth are trailed on ropes till they reach the bower. Once the vines reach the bower height, the new tendrils are then trailed on the bower.
Bitter Gourd Varieties Name of the variety
Characteristics
Pusa Do Mausmi
Suitable for spring-summer and rainy season. Fruits are dark
IARI, New Delhi.
green, long medium thick, club shaped with 7-8 continuous ridges. They are edible in 55 days from sowing, 8-10 fruits weigh one kg.
Coimbatore Long
Fruits are long, tender, white in colour and suitable as a rainy
National Seeds Corporation
season crop, average yield 25-30 t/ha.
Akra Harit
The fruits are attractive, spindle shaped with glossy green
IIHR, Hessarghatta
colour, small in size with smooth regular ribs, crop duration 100-110 days, average yield 12 t/ha.
VK-1-Priya
The fruits are white and 35-40 cm long, heavy bearing variety with first
SAU, Vellanikkara, Kerela
picking in 60 days. Average yield is 50 fruits/plant.
Phule Priyanka
Hybrid variety with dark green colour fruits. Fruits are 20-25 cm long
MPKV, Rahuri (MS).
with tubercles. Average yield is 35-40 t/ha.
Phule Green Gold
Fruits are 2530 cm long, dark green coloured with tubercles. Suitable
MPKV, Rahuri (MS).
for exports.
Phule Ujwala
Fruits 18-20 cm long, dark green in colour with tubercles, average
MPKV, Rahuri (MS).
yield 30-35 t/ha, suitable for exports.
Pride of Gujarat
Fruits are small, round, whitish green in colour with a few white dabs on the skin. Each fruit weighs 8-10 g.