Snake gourd or serpent gourd is a rapidly growing vine plant that belongs to the Cucurbitaceae family. It is mainly consumed as a vegetable. It has also some important medicinal value. The morphology and production technology are briefly described in this presentation.

1. Course Title: Olericulture
Course no: AT-3207 (Sec-A)
Name: Ahsan Habib Saimon
Student ID: 180832
Agrotechnology Discipline, Khulna
University

2. Morphology and Production
Technology of Snake Gourd

3. Source: The financial express
Fig-1: Snake gourd plant

4. English name: Snake gourd/ Serpent gourd/
Snake tomato
Bengali name: চিচিঙ্গা
Scientific Name: Trichosanthes cucumerina
Family: Cucurbitaceae
Origin: South Asia
Distribution: South & East Asia, Australia and
tropical Africa
Introduction

5. Morphology
Habit: Annual climbing herb, elongated,
slender, curved, or straight
Root: Tap root
Stems: Slender, soft, branched

6. Leaf: Simple, hairy, heart/cordate
shaped, toothed margin, alternate, lobes
being broad
Morphology

7. Fig-3: Leaf of snake gourd

8. Flower: Lace like, unisexual, regular
and white
Morphology

9. Fig-4: Flower of snake gourd
Source: Snaplant

10. Fruit: Slender, long and cylindrical,
often twisted, grow more than 150 cm
Immature: Greenish-white
Mature: Dark red
Morphology

11. Source: The financial express
Fig-4: Fruit of snake gourd

12. Production Technology
Cultivars
•BARI chichinga-1
•CO-1
•CO-2
•PKM-1
•MDU-1
•PLR-1
•PLR-2
•TA-19

13. Source: BARI
Fig-5: BARI Chichinga-1

14. Production Technology
Climate
Humid lowland tropic region. Minimum 18°C
during early growth. Optimum growth
temperature is 24°- 27°C. Planting is done at
the beginning of rainy season.

15. Production Technology
Soil
Well drained, sandy loam soil, rich in
OM. Optimum soil pH is 6.0-6.7.

16. Production Technology
Cultivation processes
It is cultivating by seeds
Seedling:
Polybag for 15-20 days age
Pits: Wide- 1m. The distance between two pits-
1.5 m. A 30-40 cm canal goes through between
two pits. The application of fertilizers and soaking
the seed for 24 hours are done before seed sowing.

17. Cultivation processes
Erect pandals, bamboo stakes and cross wires
Fig-6: Snake gourd with bamboo stakes and cross wires
Production Technology

18. Production Technology
Planting time: February-Jun
Seed rate: 4-5 kg/ha
Fertilizer: Per hectare
Cow dung- 20 ton
TSP- 175 kg
Urea- 175 kg
MOP- 150 kg
Gypsum- 100 kg

19. Production Technology
Harvest: 160-170 days
Yield: 25-30 ton/ha

20. Pests
Production Technology
Fig-7: Epilachna Beetle
Source: Purdue University

21. Fig-8: Red Pumpkin Beetle
Pests
Production Technology
Source: Gramophone

22. Pests
Production Technology
Fig-9: Fruit Flies

23. Diseases
Production Technology
Source: Plantvillege
Fig-10: Downy Mildew Disease

24. Diseases
Production Technology
Source: Growveg
Fig-11: Mosaic Disease

25. Item Cost return (Tk/ha)
Total cost 219,350
Gross return 291,872
Net-return/profit 72,521
Cost Benefit Ratio 1.34
Production Technology
Table-1: Cost benefit ratio of snake gourd production

26. 19,130
2,71,320
15000
65000
115000
165000
215000
265000
315000
Bangladesh India
Area
(Acres)
Graph-1: Comparison between Bangladesh and India snake gourd production area

27. 38,692
86,130,53
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
90,000
Bangladeh India
Production
(MT)
Graph-2: Comparison between Bangladesh and India snake gourd production

28. 37,342
37,613
37200
37250
37300
37350
37400
37450
37500
37550
37600
37650
2017-2018 2018-2019
BBS 2019
Production
(MT)
Years
Graph-3: Production of snake gourd in Bangladesh

29. Health benefit
Accelerates Weight Loss: A diet regimen
Augments Heart Function: Ensuring optimal functioning
of cardiac muscles
Detoxifies The Kidneys: Stimulates natural elimination of
body wastes and kidney stones via the excretory system
Strengthens Respiratory Processes: Benefits lung function
Used for skin and hair: Prevent from skin Infections
nourishment and vigor to the hair strands
Immune system: Strengthens our immune system
Healthy digestive system: Keeping our bowel movements
soft and regular and prevents from constipation

30. Fig-12: Constipation and bowel movements
Rectum
Anus