Snake gourd is a tropical vine cultivated for its long, cylindrical fruits. It is rich in nutrients and used medicinally. The immature fruits and other plant parts are eaten as vegetables. Snake gourd grows best in warm, humid climates with well-draining soil high in organic matter. It is cultivated during both the summer and rainy seasons. Training is needed to support the long, soft fruits off the ground. Proper nutrient management and irrigation are important for high yields, which average 8-10 tons per hectare. The fruits have a very short shelf life and are usually sent straight to market after harvesting when tender.

1. .Production Technology of Snakegourd

3. Introduction and importance:
The fruits of snake gourd is long, narrow, cylindrical, and pointed at both the
ends. The fruits are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and vitamins. It
belongs to the subtribe Trichosanthinae subfamily cucurbitoideae. The genus
have 40 species occur in east , south Asia, tropical Australia, and Fiji. Two
species cultivated , and several otherspecies used in native medicines.
Trichosanthes cucumerina, synonym: Trichosanthes angurins is cultivated
widely in south and south – east Asia. It is a monoecious, annual, herbaceous
climber.
The immature fruits are boiled and eaten. The fruits are tender , long, tapering,
and 30-150 cm long. Even shoots and tender leaves are also used as vegetable.
The fruits improves appetite, acts as tonic and stomachic, the roots and seeds
are used in treatment of diarrhoea, bronchitis and fever.

4. Snake gourd
Synonym: cucumber of southern barbarian.
• B.N. – Trichosanthes cucumerina syn T. anguina.
• Family – Cucurbitaceae .
• Proginator : Trichosanthes cucumerina.
• 2n = 22.
•Monoecious .
• Origin – India.
• bower system training is best.
• Trichosanthes is a largest genera in cucurbits.
• Trichosanthin anti HIV compound.
• White flower evening blooming.
• fruits having short shelf life.

5. Tendriluar flower of snake gourd.

6. Snake gourd cultivation.

7. Climate and soil:
Ideal soil should be rich loamy and sandy loam soil, other soils can also be used, they should be well
drained with high organic matter, it needs warm and humid climate, high humidity is best for growth and
development of fruits.
Season and sowing:
• grown both in kharif and summer,
• Sowing : in summer Dec –Jan.
• Rainy: June-July
• Winter: Oct – Dec
• Seed rate: 5-6 Kg/ha.
• Spacing : 1.5 -2.5 m between row and 60-120cm between the plant is advocated.
Training:
Since the fruits are very long, slender and very soft it is adviced that the fruits should not touch the
ground, if fruits are hanged obuviosly the fruits grow downward, so training is essential , so bower system
of training is done.

8. Nutrient management:
• FYM: 10-15 t/ha
• NPK; 40-60 : 30-40 : 30-40 Kg NPK/ha
• As per VNMKV recommendation 100: 50: 50 Kg NPK/ha is applied.
• Half dose of nitrogen is topdressed when plants starts bearing.
Irrigation:
• First irrigation immediately after sowing summer crop needs regular irrigation 3-5 days
interval, at the time of fruit set and development frequent irrigation is done.

9. Varieties:
• Konkan Shweta
• CO-1
• CO-2
CO-4
• MDU-1 – hubrid.
• PKM-1- long fruits
Harvest and yield:
• Fruiting takes place after second month of the crop, fruits are picked when they are tender, fully
matured fruits are lighter, fibrous, hard, these are not preferred in market.
Yield: 20-25 frits per vine.
8-10 t/ ha

10. Storage and marketing:
Just after harvesting fruits are sent to the markets as they do not
have shelf-life more than two days. In Maharashtra some people
cut the fruits into three to four pieces and tie them before sending
to market on large scale. Nevertheless, generally the whole fruits
are packed and then sent to the markets.