1. Sweet gourd is a perennial vine native to Southeast Asia. It is cultivated in tropical regions from India to Japan and Malaysia. 2. The document discusses the botany, climate needs, propagation methods, fertilizer use, pests and diseases, varieties, and harvesting of sweet gourd. It also provides details on processing the fruits for preservation. 3. The main variety discussed is Arka Neelachal Gaurav, which produces dark green oval fruits averaging 50g in weight and yields 12-15 kg per plant per season.

1. An
Assignment On
Production Technology of Sweet gourd
SUBMITTED TO:-
Dr. K.D.Desai
A.C.H.F., N.A.U.,
Navsari 396 450.
SUBMITTED BY:-
Parmar Manishkumar N.
2020217018
III SEM, M.Sc. (Horti)
VEGETABLESCIENCE

2. Introduction
Botanical name : Momordica cochinchinensis
Family : Cucurbitaceae
Origin - Southeast Asia
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3. Origin and distribution
• Sweet gourd comprises about 45 species,
mainly occurring in Africa, 6-7 species have
been recorded in India.
• Sweet gourd occurs wild and cultivated from
India to Japan and Malaysia.
• Sweet gourd comprises about 45 species,
mainly occurring in Africa, 6-7 species have
been recorded in India.
• Sweet gourd occurs wild and cultivated from
India to Japan and Malaysia.
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4. Botany
• Dioecious, perennial climber.
• Stem glabrous, leaves sub-orbicular, 5 lobed
flower white or pale yellow black at base
inside.
• Fruits : Ovoid,10-15 cm long, pointed densely
aculeate turning red at maturity.
• seed : Ovoid 26-28mm long,compressed.
• Dioecious, perennial climber.
• Stem glabrous, leaves sub-orbicular, 5 lobed
flower white or pale yellow black at base
inside.
• Fruits : Ovoid,10-15 cm long, pointed densely
aculeate turning red at maturity.
• seed : Ovoid 26-28mm long,compressed.
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5. Flower Fruit

6. Nutritive value of sweet gourd (per 100 g of edible
portion)
Constituents Amount
Moisture 84.09 g
Protein 2.61 g
Fat 0.66 g
Carbohydrates 5.69 g
Crude fiber 5.93 g
Mineral matter 1.02 g
Calcium 21 mg
Phosphorus 148 mg
Iron 2.59 mg
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7. Climate and Soil
• Warm humid climate with 25-35 0C and average annual
rainfall of 1500-2500 mm is ideally suited for cultivating the
sweet gourd.
• The plant can survive in winter at 10 cm below with the
ground temperature more than 1 °C, 10 cm beneath.
• Vines of sweet gourd remain dormant during winter season
and sprouts with on set of spring.
• It a hardy crop and can be grown in different kinds of soil.
However, fertile sandy loam soil with pH range from 6.5 to 7.0
is considered ideal.
• There should be adequate provision of drainage as crop is very
sensitive to water logged conditions.
• Warm humid climate with 25-35 0C and average annual
rainfall of 1500-2500 mm is ideally suited for cultivating the
sweet gourd.
• The plant can survive in winter at 10 cm below with the
ground temperature more than 1 °C, 10 cm beneath.
• Vines of sweet gourd remain dormant during winter season
and sprouts with on set of spring.
• It a hardy crop and can be grown in different kinds of soil.
However, fertile sandy loam soil with pH range from 6.5 to 7.0
is considered ideal.
• There should be adequate provision of drainage as crop is very
sensitive to water logged conditions.
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8. Propagation
• Seed, Tubers & cutting
• Seed: 3-5 kg, longer period to attain maturity (3-5 years, low
germination (50%), 48.7% female and 51.3% male
• Tubers: 50,000 sprouted tubers/ha, selected from 2-3 year old
plants, 40g piece is the best for propagation.
• Stem cuttings: 2 nodes/cutting, treat with 200-500ppm IBA,
July-Aug,
• When sprouted cutting attain 4-5 leaves, they are planted in
the main field
• Seed, Tubers & cutting
• Seed: 3-5 kg, longer period to attain maturity (3-5 years, low
germination (50%), 48.7% female and 51.3% male
• Tubers: 50,000 sprouted tubers/ha, selected from 2-3 year old
plants, 40g piece is the best for propagation.
• Stem cuttings: 2 nodes/cutting, treat with 200-500ppm IBA,
July-Aug,
• When sprouted cutting attain 4-5 leaves, they are planted in
the main field
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9. Manures and fertilizers
• Apply 10-12 tonnes farmyard manure or Well rotten
cow dung at the time of field preparation.
• In addition, 100-120 kg nitrogen, 60 kg P205 and 50
kg K20 should be given every year.
• Nitrogen should be given in two split doses.
• Sprouted cuttings planted in basin when they attain 4-
5 leaf stage approximately 30-35 days after planning
are top dressed with 15 g of urea.
• Apply 10-12 tonnes farmyard manure or Well rotten
cow dung at the time of field preparation.
• In addition, 100-120 kg nitrogen, 60 kg P205 and 50
kg K20 should be given every year.
• Nitrogen should be given in two split doses.
• Sprouted cuttings planted in basin when they attain 4-
5 leaf stage approximately 30-35 days after planning
are top dressed with 15 g of urea.
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10. Variety
• Arka Neelachal Gaurav
• Developed through clonal selection at CHES, Bhubaneswar.
• Plants vigorous with dark-green foliage, strong vine and fairly long
growing period (15 June–15 October).
• Dark-green and oval fruits along with small spines.
• Fruits 6.0 cm long, 3.8 cm thick.
• Average weight 50 g.
• Needs hand pollination for assured yield (12-15 kg/ plant per season).
• Produces large numbers of female flowers.
• Shows moderate resistance to pumpkin caterpillar infestation, and moderate
susceptibility to anthracnose and downy mildew diseases in the field.
• Arka Neelachal Gaurav
• Developed through clonal selection at CHES, Bhubaneswar.
• Plants vigorous with dark-green foliage, strong vine and fairly long
growing period (15 June–15 October).
• Dark-green and oval fruits along with small spines.
• Fruits 6.0 cm long, 3.8 cm thick.
• Average weight 50 g.
• Needs hand pollination for assured yield (12-15 kg/ plant per season).
• Produces large numbers of female flowers.
• Shows moderate resistance to pumpkin caterpillar infestation, and moderate
susceptibility to anthracnose and downy mildew diseases in the field.
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11. Anthracnose :
Causal organism: Colletotrichum lagenarium,
 It is a destructive disease of cucurbits occurring during
warm and moist seasons.
 All above ground plant parts can be infected.
 Leaf lesions begin as water soaked and then become
yellowish circular spots
Control :
Spray 0.1 per cent Carbendazim at 10 days interval.
Diseases
Anthracnose :
Causal organism: Colletotrichum lagenarium,
 It is a destructive disease of cucurbits occurring during
warm and moist seasons.
 All above ground plant parts can be infected.
 Leaf lesions begin as water soaked and then become
yellowish circular spots
Control :
Spray 0.1 per cent Carbendazim at 10 days interval.
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12. • Downy mildew : It is a fungal disease.
Symptoms appear as yellowish spots on leaves
and it is centralized to leaf vein.
• Control : Spray 0.25 per cent Mancozeb at 10
days interval.
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13. • Powdery Mildew : Disease appears on all
foliar part as white to dull white, powdery
growth.
• This white growth quickly covers most of the
leaf surface and leads to heavy reduction in
photosynthesis area.
• Control : Spray 0.2 per cent Mancozeb.
• Powdery Mildew : Disease appears on all
foliar part as white to dull white, powdery
growth.
• This white growth quickly covers most of the
leaf surface and leads to heavy reduction in
photosynthesis area.
• Control : Spray 0.2 per cent Mancozeb.
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14. Pests
• Epilachna beetle : Adult and larvae both damage the
crop by eating tender leaves. Sometimes, larvae
attack on roots. Maximum damage is observed from
mid-June to August.
• Control : Dust the crop by 5 kg Carbaryl 5.D + 5 kg
ash/acre or 100 kg Carbaryl 50% WP dissolved in
100 litres of water and spray alternatively at 15 days
intervals.
• Epilachna beetle : Adult and larvae both damage the
crop by eating tender leaves. Sometimes, larvae
attack on roots. Maximum damage is observed from
mid-June to August.
• Control : Dust the crop by 5 kg Carbaryl 5.D + 5 kg
ash/acre or 100 kg Carbaryl 50% WP dissolved in
100 litres of water and spray alternatively at 15 days
intervals.
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15. Fruit fly
• Fruit fly lays eggs in flesh of tender fruit and
after emergence of larvae, they eat flesh inside
and fruits start decaying.
• Control : Spray Ecothion on Folithion 50 EC
or 50 g Carbaryl WP 50 per cent dissolved in
250 litres of water and add 1.25 kg jaggery and
spray evenly on whole plants.
• Fruit fly lays eggs in flesh of tender fruit and
after emergence of larvae, they eat flesh inside
and fruits start decaying.
• Control : Spray Ecothion on Folithion 50 EC
or 50 g Carbaryl WP 50 per cent dissolved in
250 litres of water and add 1.25 kg jaggery and
spray evenly on whole plants.
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16. Harvesting, yield
• Fully developed but immature fruits are
harvested for vegetable use.
• Generally a single vine of spine gourd yields
13 kg fruit and 160-180 quintals yield is
realized from a hectare field.
• Fully developed but immature fruits are
harvested for vegetable use.
• Generally a single vine of spine gourd yields
13 kg fruit and 160-180 quintals yield is
realized from a hectare field.
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17. Processing
• For preserving the fruits of sweet gourd, slice
the hard green mass, blanch 1 kg slice in 3 liter
lactic acid solution at 3.5 pH for 4 minutes at
82°C. At this level the retention of ascorbic
acid is maximum.
• The slice can be dried in sun and kept in closed
tin containers for use in future.
• For preserving the fruits of sweet gourd, slice
the hard green mass, blanch 1 kg slice in 3 liter
lactic acid solution at 3.5 pH for 4 minutes at
82°C. At this level the retention of ascorbic
acid is maximum.
• The slice can be dried in sun and kept in closed
tin containers for use in future.
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