(Momordica charantia L.

) Submitted to

BITTER GOURD

Assignment on

Dr. Eswar Reddy

Submitted by

V. Surendra Babu & M.P. Shyam Babu

BITTER GOURD
(Momordica charantia L.)

INTRODUCTION
The bitter gourd is a common vegetable cultivated extensively all over India.

It is 10 to 20 cm. long, tapering at the

ends and covered with blunt tubercles. There are two varieties of this vegetable. The large kind is long, oblong and pale green in color. The other kind is small, little oval and dark green.

Both the types are bitter in taste. They

turn reddish-orange when ripe.

It is antidotal, antipyretic tonic,

appetizing, stomachic, antibilious and laxative.

 Origin The gourds viz., Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia). It is found throughout the tropics and subtropics of both Africa and Asia. The plant is wild in India and is popular vegetable in North. Importance Gourds are used as cooked vegetables. Bitter gourd is rich in minerals like Iron. The bitter constituents are named Cucurbitacins and are chemically classified as tetracyclic triterpenes. The bitter taste is liked by some and is supposed to contain some medicinal properties.

 Area The area under gourds in A.P. acres. More than 75 per cent of this area is accounted for from only four districts viz., East Godavari (350 acres), West Godavari (270 (1978-79) is 1,200

acrea),
acres) acres).

Rangareddy
and Guntur

(495
(90

 Climate Gourds require a relatively long growing season than cucumber, but they do not require as warm climate as melons.

They take 80 to 100 days

from seedling to maturity.

 Soil They thrive well on a wide variety of soils from sandy to clay loams. Well drained sandy loam soil rich in

organic matter is desirable.

They do not grow well in highly acidic or alkaline soils. Loam, clay loam, good irrigation, pH 5.5 - 6.0. To plough the soil with dry sun 7-10 days To plough the soil deep 20-25

cm. Additional manure rate 1.5-2.0

ton/rai fertilizer 30-40 Kg./Rai soil to cover up plot wide 80 cm. high 30 cm. 2 row/ [ plot wide total 6 m.] Use plastic to cover up step end.

 Land preparation

Land preparation can be

done by using tractors or

bullock drawn implements

to level the cultivated

land.

Nutritive Value
The fruit is used as vegetable as well as it can be used as a medicine for

diabetics
Nutritional (values

and
are per

vermifuge.
composition 100g of

edible
below)

portion

is

given

 Root System Good soils will be

helpful to the root

system penetrated deeply mechanical strength can be thus

provided
plant.

to

the

 Field establishment Planting spacing: 1.5 x 1.0 m Crop Management

VARIETIES OF BITTERGUARD

VARIETIES

BG4710

BG4713
BG4711 BG4712

VARIETIES

F1 2003

Strada 153

CR 151

F1 2004

IRRIGATION

IRRIGATION

ECONOMICS AND MARKETING

PRODUCTION COST (Rs.)

The unit production cost for the 1998 to 2001 is given in

the table showing that the

production costs were similar during 1998, 1999,and 2000. The projected unit area cost of production during 2001 is low , the reason being the inducement farmers to adopt and the encouragement given to the

appropriate
management through programme.

crop
technology demonstration

PRODUCTION COST (Rs.)

WEED MANAGEMENT

PLANT PESTS

PEST MANAGEMENT

CONTROL MEASURES

CONTROL MEASURES

 Harvesting
Technology Peak

&

Post-harvest

production

months

Bitter gourd peak production months during the Maha

season

are

January,

February and the first two weeks of March and April, May June and July for the Yaha season.

 Post-harvest loss reduction and value addition The post-harvest loss of bitter gourd is about 25%. Main reason for this much of loss is due to ripening and mechanical damage during transport.
Bitter gourd can be stored at ambient temperature for 4-6 days if they are harvested in a slightly immature stage. However this storage life can further be extended by storing them at 13 deg C. The maximum storage life at low temperature is limited to 14-16 days.

Value addition of bitter gourd can be done by dehydration. A better quality product can be prepared if driers are used for dehydration. In addition slices of this fruit can be preserved in brine solution.

HARVESTING AND POST-HARVEST TECHNOLOGY