Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)
Cucurbitaceae
Varieties
Co 1, MDU 1, COBgoH 1 (Hybrid), Arka Harit, Priya and Preethi are mainly cultivated.
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Co 1 |
COBgoH 1 |
Soil
Sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with good drainage and pH range of 6.5-7.5 is suited for bitter gourd cultivation. This crop requires a moderate warm temperature.
Season
Planting is done on July and January.
Seed rate
About 1.5 kg of seeds is required for a hectare
Preparation of field
Plough the field to fine tilth and dig pits of 30 cm x 30 cm x 30 cm size at 2 x 1.5 m spacing and form basins.
Sowing
Sow the seeds (5 seeds/pit) treated with Trichoderma viride 4 g or Pseudomonas fluorescens 10 g or Carbendazim 10 g/kg of seeds and thin the seedlings to two/ pit after 15 days.
Irrigation
Irrigate the basins before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once a week.
Application of fertilizers
Apply 10 kg of FYM per pit (20 t/ha) 100 g of NPK 6:12:12/pit as basal and 10 g of N/pit 30 days after sowing.
After cultivation
Hoeing is done thrice to control weeds. Provide stakes to reach the pandal (2 m). Spray Ethrel 100 ppm (1 ml dissolved in 10 lit of water) four times from 15th day after sowing at weekly intervals.
Plant protection
Pests and diseases
Beetles, fruit flies and caterpillars
Beetles, fruit flies and caterpillars can be controlled by spraying Malathion 50 EC 1ml/lit or Dimethoate 30 EC 1ml/lit or Methyl demeton 25 EC 1ml/lit.
Do not use DDT, lindane 1.3% dust, copper and sulphur dust, as these are phytotoxic.
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew can be controlled by spraying Dinocap 1ml/lit or Carbendazim 0.5 g/lit.
Downy mildew
Downy mildew can be controlled by spraying Mancozeb or Chlorothalonil 2 g/lit twice at 10 days interval.
Yield
Varieties: 14 t/ha
Hybrids : 40 t/ha |
