› Bitter Gourd
It is a tropical and subtropical vine of the family Cucurbitaceae,
widely grown in Asia and in the Africa for its edible fruit,
which is extremely bitter. Its many varieties differ substantially in the shape
and bitterness of the fruit.
This herbaceous, tendril-bearing vine grows to 5 m. It bears
simple, alternate leaves 4–12 cm across, with three to seven
deeply separated lobes. Each plant bears separate yellow male and
female flowers. In the Northern Hemisphere, flowering occurs during June
to July and fruiting during September to November.
The fruit has a distinct warty exterior and an oblong shape. It is
hollow in cross-section, with a relatively thin layer of flesh surrounding a
central seed cavity filled with large, flat seeds and pith. The fruit is most
often eaten green, or as it is beginning to turn yellow.
Bitter Gourd Crop Disease and Control
Powdery Mildew (Sphaerotheca fuliginea) :
This disease is favored by high humidity and
tends to occur on older leaves first.
Symptoms: first appear as white powdery residue
primarily on the upper leaf surface. On the lower surface of the leaves
circular patches or spots appear. In severe cases, these spread, coalesce and
cover both the surfaces of the leaves and spread also to the petioles, stem,
etc. Severely attacked leaves become brown and shrivelled and defoliation may
occur. Fruits of the affected plants do not develop fully and remain small.
Control: Carbendazim (1ml/litre of water) or
Karathane (0.5 ml/litre of water) is sprayed immediately after the appearance
of the disease. 2-3 sprays are taken at an interval of 15 days.
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