This document provides information on hybrid seed production techniques for cucurbitaceae vegetables. It discusses the botany, climate needs, floral morphology, sex expression, planting practices, pollination, and harvesting for key cucurbit crops. The main techniques discussed are hand emasculation and pollination which is used for hybrid seed production in some cucurbit crops when the female parent lines are andromonoecious. Maintaining the proper male to female planting ratio and roguing off-type plants are also important aspects of hybrid seed production covered in the document.

2. HYBRID SEED PRODUCTION
TECHNIQUES IN VEGETABLE
CUCURBITACEAE

3. Submitted by:-
Kher Bhavin
Reg.no:- 4011120013
Sindha Vishwarajsinh
Reg.no:-4011120033
Kachchhatiya Vipul
Reg.no:-4011120011
Nayi Harsh
Reg.No:-4011120017
Gadhavi Tanay
Reg.no:-4011120009

4. Submitted to:-
Dr. J.I. Nanavati
Assistant Professor,
Sheth M. C. Polytechnic in
Agriculture,
Anand Agricultural
University,
Anand.

5. CONTENT
• INTRODUCTION
• BOTANY
• CLIMATE AND SOIL
• FLOWER MORPHOLOGY
• SEX EXPRESSION
• PLANTING
• GENERAL PRACTICES
• IRRIGATION
• FIELD STANDARDS
• ROUGHING
• PLANT PROTACTION
• HARVESTING
• SEED MATURITY
• SEED EXTRACTION
• DRYING AND STORAGE
• SEED YIELD
• SEED STANDARDS
• CONCLUSION

6. INTRODUCTION
• Crops belonging to family Cucurbitaceae but genera may be different
• Family consists of wide range of vegetables consumed as salad,for cooking ,as
dessert fruits and as candied / preserved products (Singh & Bhandari , 2015)
• Cucurbits are characterized by bitter principles, called Cucurbitacins ( Bose et al.,
2002)
• Vast scope for increase in area and production in the state to make available these
to consumers as part of balanced diet and exploit their export potential in new
emerging markets.

7. Introduction contd…
• Seed crop is not any way different from vegetable crops..
• Instead of picking fruits at vegetable maturity,they are allowed to mature in the
plant itself.
• Seed are extracted in full maturity.
• Cucumber, Bitter guard, Spounge guard, etc. ;Fruits allowed to ripen fully.
• Bottle guard, sponge guard, etc. ; Even letting them dry .

8. BOTANY
Sr
no.
Common name Scientific Name Chromosome no.
(2n)
1. Small gourd / little gourd Coccinia indica 2n = 28
2. Bottle gourd
(Lauki/ghiya/Dudhi)
Lagenaria siceraria 2n=22
3. Bitter gourd (karela) Momordica charantia L. 2n=22
4. Cucumber Cucumis sativus L. 2n=14
5. Pointed giurd (parwal): Trichosanthes dioica 2n=24
6. Sponge gourd(galaka) Luffa cylindrica 2n=26
7. Ridge gourd(turia) Ridge gourd(turia) 2n=26

9. Small gourd / little gourd
• Scientific name:-Coccinia indica
• Family:- Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome no. :- 2n = 28
• Center of origin :- Africa
• Propagation Method :-Seed

10. Bottle gourd (dudhi)
• Scientific name:-Lagenaria siceraria
• Family:- Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome no. :- 2n = 22
• Center of origin :- S.Africa
• Propagation Method :-Seed

11. Bitter gourd (karela)
• Scientific name:-Momordica
charantia L
• Family:- Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome no. :- 2n = 22
• Center of origin :- S.China
• Propagation Method :-Seed

12. Cucumber
• Scientific name:-Cucumis sativus L.
• Family:- Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome no. :- 2n = 24
• Center of origin :- India
• Propagation Method :-Seed

13. Pointed gourd (parwal)
• Scientific name:-Trichosanthes dioica
• Family:- Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome no. :- 2n = 24
• Center of origin :- India
• Propagation Method :-Seed

14. Sponge gourd(galaka)
• Scientific name:-Luffa cylindrica
• Family:- Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome no. :- 2n = 26
• Center of origin :- India
• Propagation Method :-Seed

15. Ridge gourd(turia)
• Scientific name:-Luffa acutangula
• Family:-Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome no. :- 2n = 26
• Center of origin :- India
• Propagation Method :-Seed

16. CLIMATE
• Cucurbits are generally warm season crops and prefer
dry period with abundant sunshine for growth and
production.
• Excessive humid weather will promote disease.
• Av. temp for growth will be around 30 – 35°C with
maximum ranging around 40°C and minimum
between 20 & 25°C.
• Most of cucurbits germinate well when day temp
above 25°C.
• For normal growth they require optimum average
monthly temp from 25 to 30°C.

17. SOIL REQUIREMENT
• There are no land requirements as to field crop, but
the land should be free of volunteer plants. Generally
the soil should be well drained and aerated.

18. FLORAL BIOLOGY
• The Cucurbitaceae consist of monoecious or
dioecious (rarely hermaphroditic) vines (rarely
tree-like), usually with one tendril per node.
• The leaves are simple, palmately veined and
often palmately lobed, spiral, and exstipulate.
• The inflorescence is axillary, variable in type or
with solitary flowers.
• The flowers are usually unisexual.

19. FLOWER STRUCTURE
• Bitter gourd • Ridge gourd • Cucumber

20. FLOWER STRUCTURE
• Sponge gourd • Pointed gourd

21. CUCURBITS FLOWER FORMS
Flower forms Cucurbits
Monoecious Cucumber, sponge gourd, bottle gourd,
bitter gourd,
Gynoecious Cucumber, bitter gourd, ridge gourd
Androecious Cucumber
Dioecious Pointed gourd, small gourd
Andromonoeciouis Cucumber
Gynomonoecious Cucumber, ridge gourd
Hermaphrodite Ridge gourd

22. PLANTING
• Cucurbits are warm season
crops that grow best when day
and night temperatures are
above 50o F.
• These plants should be planted
in full sun and in an area of well-
drained soil with a pH around
7.0. It is best to plant cucurbits
once the soil temperature has

23. LIFE CYCLE

24. GENERAL PRACTICES
 Seed treatment :
 Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride 4 g/kg or
Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g/kg
 Carbendazim 2 g/kg of seed.

25.  Cucurbitaceae hybrid seed rate :
• Male parent : 1.5 Kg/ha
• Female parent : 3.5 Kg/ha
 Female flower increased by :
• Spraying of Ethrel 200-250 ppm at two true stage and
after a week of 1st spray

26.  Isolation distance
• Foundation seed : 1000 m.
• Certified seed : 500 m.
 Sowing method :
• For bitter gourd / bottle gourd : sown in the pits/trenches at 2
cm depth in a vertical orientation.
• For cucumber / ridge gourd : seeds are sown in raised mounds
with a spacing of 0.6 – 1.2 metre.

27. • June – July
• February-
March
 Season of sowing :
 Spacing :
• 45 cm x 45 cm spacing.(differ as per plant)
Generally

28.  Nutrient management :
• For cucumber :
 Apply a dose of 150:75:75 kg NPK/ha
 Basal (75:75:75),Top dressing (75:00:00).
 Apply FYM at 20 t/ha, NPK 100:50:50 kg/ha
 Basal (50:50:50),Top dressing (50:00:00)
 Apply Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria 2 kg/ha and
Pseudomonas 2.5 kg/ha along with FYM 50 kg and
neem cake @ 100 kg before last ploughing.
• For bottle gourd :

29. • For bitter gourd :
 50-60 kg N
 40-60 kg P2O5
 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.

30.  Seed planting ratio :
o For hybrid seed production female and male rows are
planted in 4:1 ratio.
o Female (seed parent) bear only female flowers and
pollination in done by insect (honeybee).

31.  Field inspection:
• Minimum of 3 field inspection
- before flowering
- during flowering and at immature fruit stage
- at mature fruit stage
• In case of hybrids , at least 4 field inspection are necessary.
• Isolation, planting ratio, off-types,nicking of male budsin the
seed parent block, ascertaining accuracy in emasculation or to
check pollen shadding cymes in male sterile line and to verify
true fruit chericteristic.

32. Maximum percentage of off-types permitted:
o Foundation seed : 0.10%
o Certified seed : 0.20%
 Irrigation management :
• Vegetable growers consider drip irrigation method as an
effective way to save water and that plant needs, as well
as to reduce weeds, fungi and diseases.
• Maintain soil moiture for maintain soil pH5.5 to 6.5 .

33. Weed management :
• Just before planting cucurbits, pre irrigate the field to
germinate weed seeds and cultivate or use a
nonselective herbicide such as paraquat or glyphosate
(Roundup) to destroy them.
• Glyphosate can be particularly helpful in controlling
perennial weeds before the crop is planted.

34.  Roughing in cucurbits:
• As with any crop grown for its fruit, most roguing
should first be done while the plant is in the
vegetative stage.
• Spine color (white or black) should be consistent, and
any plants with the wrong spine color should be
rogued.
• Remove off type plants.

35.  Pollination in cucurbits:
• Cucurbits are generally pollinated primarily by honeybees.
• The most practical recommendation for the number of
honeybees required for pollination was suggested by Hughes
(1971) who stated that on a clear day when you walk into a
cucumber field you should be able to count 30 to 40 bees
within a 30 foot diameter circle.
 Hand pollination in cucumber : A cotton swab can be used to
transfer the pollen from the male flower to the female.

36.  Hand pollination :
• A cotton swab can be used to
transfer the pollen from the
male flower to the female.
• A swab is preferable to a camel’s
hair brush because there is less
chance of contamination and
better control of the pollen load.

37. Pollination in bottle gourd :
• The main issue with bottle
gourd is pollination even
though it produces large
number of female and male
flowers (generally 10:1 ratio).
• Pollination depends on bees.
• In general if the pollination
does not occur, female flower
will grow initially but fall off

38. Hand pollination :
• Hand pollination can be done by
using soft brush or scissor.
• Run the soft brush on opened male
flower and then on to female flower.
• Repeat the procedure for 2 to 3 days.
• (Both flowers look similar but male
flower grows on long peduncle and
female flower on short peduncle but it
has an ovary in the shape of the fruit)

39. Pollination in bitter gourd:
• The hybrid seeds of bitter gourd
through protection of female flower
and hand pollination.

40.  Sex expression
• At flowering, the sex expression of the plants in
the rows of female inbred should be checked to
make sure they are gynoecious.
• For monoecious hybrid seed production, the
rows of female inbred should be treated with
ethrel 3 to 6 times (once/week) starting at the full
cotyledon stage

41. • Ethrel will cause the
plants in the rows of
female parent to convert
to gynoecious sex
expression.
• The longer the plants are
treated with ethrel, the
longer they will stay
gynoecious.

42.  Techniques of Hybrid Seed Production in cucurbits
1) Hand emasculation and hand pollination:
• Andromonoecious lines are common and they must be emasculated and
hand pollinated is used as the female parent for producing hybrid seed.
• This method has also been used for some watermelon and cucumber
hybrids.
• This technique is applicable for limited scale production, since lot of trained
labour are required in pinching, pollen collection and hand pollination.

43. 2) Hand emasculation and pollination by insect:
• The male flowers from female lines are pinched off day before of anthesis
regularly, which honeybees and other insects (voluntary) uses as a
pollinating agents. The male and female are grown in alternate rows.

44. 3) Use of genetic male sterility system
• The genetic male sterility in cucurbits is controlled by single recessive gene
(ms).
• For hybrid seen production, the male sterile line is used as female parent.
• Since genetic male sterile line is maintained in heterozygous forms, 50%
fertile plants are to be removed at flowering.
• The other 50% having non-dehiscent empty anther are retained in female
rows. The female and male are grown in 4:1 ratio.

45. 4) Use of gynoecious sex form
• The gynoecious sex form has been commercially exploited in hybrid seed
production of cucumber.
• For hybrid seed production female and male rows are planted in 4:1 ratio.
• The female (seed parent) bear only female flowers and pollination in done
by insect (honeybee).

46. 5) Hybrid seed production through chemical sex expression
• The hybrid seed can also be produce in cucurbits by the application of
chemicals for attaining the sex of cucurbits.
• Specific chemicals are known to induce femaleness and maleness as
desired.
• Example- spraying of ethrel (2-choloro-ethyl-phosphonic acid), GA3,
(10-25 ppm) in cucumber, MH-(100 ppm), ethephon (600 ppm) in
squash induces female flowers.

47. Field standard
Factors Minimum permitted level (%)
FS CS
Open pollinated variety
Off-type 0.10 0.2
Objectional weed plant None None
Hybrids
Off-type in seed parent 0.01 0.05
Off-type in pollen parent None 0.05
Pollen shedders in seed parent - 0.10
Seed borne diseases
Muskmelon 0.1 0.20
Summer squash 0.1 0.5

48. Insect-pest management
• Melon fruit fly, Bactrocera
cucurbitae
• White fly, Bemisia
tabaci

49. • Hadda beetle
Epilachna borealis
• Red pumpkin beetle
Raphidopalpa foveico llis

50.  Management:
• Melon fruit fly,
Bactrocera
cucurbitae
Control measures:
• Clean cultivation, i.e. removal
and destruction of fallen &
infested fruits daily.
• Deep ploughing to expose
hibernating stages.
• Application of spray baits.
• Spraying with 0.05% malathion
or 0.2% carbaryl at flowering.
• White fly, Bemisia
tabaci
Control measures:
• yellow sticky traps can be
posted around the garden to
trap adults.
• Shiny metallic-coated
construction paper or reflective
plastic mulches can repel
whiteflies, especially away from
small plants.
• The soil-applied systemic
insecticide imidacloprid can
control whitefly nymphs.

51. • Hadda beetle,
Epilachna borealis
Control measures:
• Apply trichlorfon 5% GR @ 200
g/acre or trichlorfon 5% DUST
@ 200 g/acre.
• Spray NSKE 5%.
• Apply Trichoderma spp. @ 2.5
kg/acre along with FYM.
• Red pumpkin beetle
Raphidopalpa foveico llis
Control measures:
• Deep summer ploughing exposes
the grubs and pupae.
• Conserve parasitoids such
as Celatoria setosa (grub).
• Spray NSKE 5%.
• Apply trichlorfon 5% GR @ 200
g/acre or trichlorfon 5% DUST @
200 g/acre.

52.  Major disease
• Powdery Mildew • Anthracnose • Downy Mildew

53. • Choanephora Rot or
Wet Rot
• Bacterial Wilt
• Other disease are Fusarium Fruit Rot, Angular Leaf Spot, Mosaic Viruses,
White Mold or Sclerotinia Rot.

54.  Disease management
• ID: Erysiphe cichoracearum Produces
white powdery colonies on upper and lower
leaf surfaces, on stems and petioles. (visible
with the naked eye)
• Cultural Practices: Choose PM tolerant
varieties for cucurbit of interest if available.
• Chemical Control: Management of
chemicals use for control is critical; refer
to tank mix protectant fungicides or other
chemicals (chlorothalonil, maneb,
mancozeb, copper, oil, sulfur, etc.) with a
strobilurin ; or with demethylation
inhibitors or thiophanate-methyl and
follow alternation protocol. .
• Powdery Mildew
• ID: Colletotrichum orbiculare More likely
to occur on muskmelon, watermelon and
cucumber. Appears as tan or brown oval
lesions on upper leaf surface; raised
acervuli (often salmon-colored) with hair-
like setae (whiskers) (visible with a hand
lens).
• Cultural Practices: Use disease-free seed;
follow a 2-year rotation out of
cucurbits. Be mindful under moist
conditions and high humidity for 24 hrs.
• Chemical Control: Apply Bravo alone or
in combination with Topsin in alternation
with fungicides (Quadris and Cabrio).
• Anthracnose

55. • ID: Pseudoperonospora cubensis Chlorotic spots
appear on the upper leaf surface and purplish or
gray spores form on these spots on the lower leaf
surface. (visible with a hand lens)
• Chemical Control: Consider using Acrobat tank
mixed with a protectant labeled for the cucurbit of
interest (chlorothalonil, maneb or mancozeb, and
alternated with Ridomil Gold Bravo or Ridomil
Gold Copper or Gavel.
• Downy Mildew
• ID: Erwinia tracheiphila is the bacterium
responsible for bacterial wilt and replicates only
in the xylem; wilt appears initially on leaves and
then on one or more runners on a plant; look for
vascular browning in the xylem by cutting at the
grown level (crown of plant) (visible to the naked
eye)
• Cultural Practices: Beetles will aggregate on
preferred varieties (due to cucurbitacins levels);
this feature makes use of a susceptible variety as a
trap crop.
• Chemical Control: Imidacloprid (Admire) is the
preferred material for striped beetle control, but
others are registered.
• Bacterial Wilt

56. Harvesting
• About six weeks after fruit set, or 13 weeks after
planting (depending on growth temperature), the
cucumber fruit will turn from green to white,
yellow or orange.
• The fruit will become softer and a few will have
started to rot.

57. • At that time, fruit will be
harvested from the rows
containing the female
parent.
• Rows containing the male
parent will not be
harvested, since they will
be the male parent inbred,
not the hybrid.

58. • Fruit will be put into a bulk seed extractor that
crushes the fruit between rollers, and separates
the fruit pieces from the seeds.
• Yield will be about 200 seeds per fruit.

59.  Seed extraction
• There are two method of seed extraction
employed in cucurbits.
1. Dry method
2. Wet method

60. Dry method:
• The dried fruits are cut from
one side and the seeds comes
out from the fruit e.g. sponge
gourd, ridge gourd, snake
gourd.

61. Wet method:
• The fruit of cucumber and
bitter gourd, summer squash
and long melon are cut
longitudinally and seed is
scooped out while fruit of
muskmelon and pumpkin
are cut into two piece and
seed is scooped out from
cavity.

62. Mechanical extraction:
• In this method the fruits are cut into pieces and macerated by machine.
• The seeds are separated out from pulp by floating with water.
Fermentation:
• Pulp is allowed to ferment in wooden or non-metallic barrels for about
30hrs with occasional stirring to prevent groth of moulds of seed surface.
• Separated clean seeds sink to the bottom and can be collected,washed
and dried. Separated by rubbing with hand.

63. Storage:
• seed should be stored at
2-50 C and 40% relative
humidity condition for
prolonged viability. For
vapour proof storage
moisture content of
water melon and bitter
gourd seeds should be 6
percent.

64.  Hybrid veriety of cucurbits
Crop name Hybrid veriety
Cucumber Swarna sheetal, pusa sanyog, NS 45, NS 46
Bottle gourd TNAU Bottle gourd Hybrid CO1
Bitter gourd Priyanka by kerala univercity
Pointed gourd Swarna Rekha, Rajendra Parwal-1,Rajendra Parwal-2,Swarna
Alaukik
Ridge gourd Hybrid Ridge Gourd NRGH-324

65.  Seed Certification Standards
Factors Minimum permitted level (%)
Foundation seed Certified seed
Pure seed (minimum) 98 95
Inert matter (maximum) 2 5
Other crop seed (maximum) None None
Weed seed (maximum) None None
Other objectional varieties (only for hybrids ) 5/kg 10/kg
Germination (minimum) 60 60
Moisture for ordinary pack (maximum) 7.0 7.0
Moisture for vapour proof pack (maximum) 6.0 6.0

66. Main
Research
Station
AAU,Anand

67.  Future needs:-
• First, the importance of hybrid seeds will increase,
and second, more seed will be produced under all
environment.
• Resistance to pest and disease.
• High quality seed production.
• More nutrient in other part of crop without seed so
that we make well decomposed compost.