Cucumbers are an important crop that are a good source of potassium and various antioxidants. They prefer light, well-drained soils and temperatures between 20-28°C for optimal growth and production. Common diseases include downy mildew and powdery mildew. Management involves growing resistant varieties, maintaining good airflow, removing crop debris, and applying fungicides like mancozeb. Popular varieties in India include Pusa Sanyog, Pusa Uday, and Japanese Long Green.

1. An Assignment on
Production Technology of Cucurbits
VSC 502 – Production Technology of warm season
vegetable crops
Submitted to – Dr. N.B. Patel
Associate Professor
Department of Vegetable Science
ACHF, NAU, Navsari
Submitted by – Avisha Ram Budhani
2nd Semester
M.Sc. (Horticulture) Vegetable Science
ACHF, NAU, Navsari

2. • Botanical name: Cucumis sativus L.
• Family: Cucurbitaceae
• Chromosome number: 2n=14
• Origin: India
• Ancestor : Cucumis harwickii
• Importance of crop
Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) is an edible cucurbit popular
throughout the world for crisp texture and taste. Cucumber is a
truly versatile vegetable because of wide range of uses from salads to
pickles and digestive aids to beauty products. It is a very good source
of potassium, an important intracellular electrolyte. 100 g of
cucumber provides 147 mg of potassium. Cucumbers contains
unique anti-oxidants in moderate ratios such as β-carotene and α-
carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, zea-xanthin and lutein.

4. Basic information
• DNP
• Thermophilic crop
• 2nd most widely cultivated cucurbit after watermelon
• 1st sequenced vegetable crop
• Prefers low temp. than WM & MM
• Most common sex form : Monoecious
• Bitterness : Cucurbitacins
• New synthetic species: Cucumis × hytivus 2n=2x=38.
• 1st gynoecious F1 hybrid, Pusa Sanyog, developed in India
in 1971.
• Economic sex ratio of cucumber: 15:1.
• Induction of parthenocarpy in cucumber: Choloroflurenol
• Metaxenia: Effect of pollen on fruit shape and other fruit
characteristics

5. Soil and Climate
Cucumbers prefer light textured soils that are well drained,
high in organic matter and have a pH of 6-6.8. Adapted to a
wide-range of soils, but will produce early in sandy soils.
Cucumbers are fairly tolerant to acid soils (down to pH 5.5).
Greenhouse cucumbers generally grow quite well in a wide
range of soil pH (5.5-7.5), but a pH of 6.0-6.5 for mineral soils
and a pH of 5.0-5.5 for organic soils are generally accepted as
optimum.
Most of the greenhouses for crop production use soil-based
media. The soil-based medium is composed of 70% red soil,
20% well decomposed organic matter and 10% rice husk. The
raised beds of 40 cm height and 90 cm top width are made for
successful cultivation of crop. Now-a-days it is an essential
practice for all greenhouses. Root medium of a greenhouse is
generally pasteurized annually. However, sometimes it is done

6. This increase in frequency is occasionally necessitated due to
the proliferation of disease-causal organisms in the greenhouse.
Formaldehyde is a commonly used chemical to sterilize the root
medium. Drenching of root medium with formaldehyde (37-40
%) mixed with water @ 25 ml per liter is the usual practice.
The Formalin used for sterilization should be mixed with water
in 1:10 proportion. For drenching Formalin is used at the rate
of 7.5 lit for 100 sq. mt. i.e. 37.5 lit of Formalin will be required
for 500-sq.mt of polyhouse.
After drenching, the soil or root medium will be covered
with plastic film or black polyethylene sheet. Close all
ventilation spaces. Three to four days after formaldehyde
treatment remove polyethylene cover. Two days after removing
the polyethylene cover rake the bed repeatedly to remove trap
formaldehyde fumes completely before transplanting.

7. Climate
Maximum growth occurs at a day and night temperature
of about 28°C, maximum fruit production is achieved with
a night temperature of 19-20°C and a day temperature of
20-22°C. The minimum temperature should not be lower
than 18ºC for sustained production. Prolonged
temperature above 35ºC should also be avoided as fruit
production and quality are affected at extremely higher
temperatures.

8. Sowing time and method
Cucumber can be grown successfully round the year under
greenhouses. Although, seed is generally sown directly into the soil,
but looking into high cost of the seed and problem of competition
among the plants during gap filling, generally, 3000 seeds are
sufficient for a greenhouse of 1000 sq. m. It is advisable to raise 20
per cent of total population through plug trays so that these can be
used for timely gap filling in order to keep pace with the growth of
other plants. There are three ingredients viz., cocopeat, vermiculite
and perlite which are used as media for nursery raising. These
ingredients are mixed in 3:1:1 ratio before filling the trays. Owing to
the cost of these ingredients, cocopeat alone can be used as rooting
media. The cocopeat usually comes in bricks of 5 kg, but before
using it as growing media it must undergo through various
hydration processes with water to remove excess of salt present in it.
Next step is to hydrate cocopeat brick with calcium nitrate @ 100 g
per brick at least for 24 hrs.
Size of bed – 30 cm height , 45 cm width and 50 cm between 2 beds

9. Sowing (open conditions)
Time – July-Sept
Jan-Feb
Seed rate – 3-5 kg/ha
Spacing – 1.5 x 0.5 m or 1.5 x 1 m
Irrigation
Drip irrigation
Inline lateral lines may be installed in the middle of
beds. Distance between two drippers - 30 cm and its
discharge rate is 2 L/hour. Diameter of riser is 16mm.

10. Fertilizer management
Cucumber has a high nutrient requirement and grows rapidly
when supplied with sufficient nutrients. Fertigation is done
using water soluble fertilizers @ 90, 75, 75 kg/ha (N, P, K)
twice a week, which usually commences after 10 days of
planting. The soil application of micro-nutrients (Grade-V) is
done at the time of planting. The details of fertigation are as
follows Duration Grade Quantity (g/1000 m2)
Twice a week
Initial 30 days 19:19:19 1250
00:52:34 275
00:00:50 180
Next 30 days CaNO3 1000
12:61:00 470
Urea 150
00:00:50 800
Next 30 days and
onwards
Urea 300
CaNO3 900
00:52:34 525

11. Cultural practices
1. Training & Pruning
Basic principle in developing training system is to uniformly
maximize the leaf interception of sunlight throughout the
house.
Staking in cucumber has been found to be very effective in
getting maximum yield and better quality of fruits.
•Types of training
1. Single stem training (60 x 45 cm)
2. Umbrella system (60 x 60 cm)
3. V-system (60 x 60 cm)

12. V-System

13. Umbrella system

14. Single stem system

15. Umbrella system: The main stem is allowed to grow vertically along the
supporting string up to the overhead wire (2 m above the ground level).
The apical bud is removed after producing two leaves above the
overhead wire. Two healthy and vigorous lateral branches at the top of
the vine are allowed to grow along the wire for about 15 cm and trained
to grow downwards. All other laterals are removed and Plants were
arranged in 60 cm x 60 cm spacing.
V system: The main stem is allowed to grow along the supporting string
and the growing point is removed at the 6th leaf stage (45-60cm plant
height). The two emerging lateral branches are then trained into a "V-
shape" onto the overhead wire. Other practices were similar to the
Umbrella system.
Single stem system: The main stem is allowed to grow vertically along
the supporting string towards the overhead wire as in the case of the
Umbrella system. When the plant reaches the overhead wire, whole vine
is lowered and trained to move downward. This system can
accommodate more plants at the spacing of 60 x 45 cm.

16. Pruning
• Pruning improve fruit yield and quality
• As the plant grows up the string, remove all the lateral buds
up to the sixth node (a node being where a leaf joins the
stem).
• Pruning the lateral buds allows the plant to become large
enough to support continued healthy fruit development.
• In addition to the lateral buds, all the fruits should also be
removed up to this point.

17. Cucumber : Pusa Seedless Cucumber-6
Year of release : 2015-16
Characteristics :
•First extra early (40-45 days for first fruit harvest) improved
variety of parthenocarpic gynoecious cucumber suitable for
cultivation in protected condition.
•Fruits are attractive, uniform, dark green, glossy, cylindrical,
straight, slightly ribbed, non-hairy, non-warty, slightly striped at
blossom end and has tender skin & crispy flesh.
•Average fruit length, width & weight are 14.24 cm, 3.45cm &
105 g, respectively.
•Average fruit yield is 126 t/ha (1260 kg/ 100 m2) during winter
season (off-season, November-March).

18. Variety Pusa Sanyog
Breeding Method Heterosis
Pedigree/Parenta
ge
Japanese Gyn. Line x Green Long Naples
Important Traits Early maturing and high yielding, fruits
long, cylindrical and dark green with
yellow stripes, flesh crisp
IIHR 177-1 Multiple-disease resistance to powdery
mildew
+ downy mildew+ alternaria

19. Variety Pusa Uday
Breeding
Method
Selection
Pedigree/Paren
tage
Selection from Indigenous material
Important
Traits
The plants (vines) are 1 to 1.5 m long. The
flowering behaviour is monoecious. The
fruits are medium in size (13-15 cm long),
light green in colour with whitish green
stripes.
Variety Straight eight
Breeding
Method
Introduction
Pedigree/Parent
age
Introduction from USA
Important Traits Fruits medium in length, straight and
cylindrical with round ends, skin medium
green

20. Variety Japanese Long Green
Breeding
Method
Introduction
Important
Traits
Plants are early, prolific bearing, first
picking starts in 45 days after sowing.
Fruits are yellowish green, 30-40 cm long,
whitish green with light green and crisp
flesh. This variety essentially requires
staking for straight fruits.
Variety Kalyanpur Green
Breeding Method Selection
Important Traits Fruits thick, green, tasty while brown
at maturity. This variety is suitable for
cultivation in rainy season. This
variety has yield potential of 100-125
q/ha.

21. Variety Phule Shubhangi (Sel 75-1-10)
Breeding
Method
Pedgree Selection
Important
Traits
Fruits green, colour of fruit remains after storage, surface smooth
with trichoms. Plants are tolerant to pod borer, anthracnose, leaf
spot and leaf under field condition. Fruits are smooth and
attractive green fruits with white strips at apical end.
Variety Phule Priyanka
Breeding Method Hybridization
Pedigree/Parentag
e
RHRB-5 x RHRBG4
Important Traits Fruits dark green, highly prickled, 20 cm long,
suitable for rainy and summer seasons, tolerant to
downey mildew, average yield 282.7 q/ha

22. Pant Sankar Khira-1 The fruits are long about 20 cm,
cylindrical and green with
light stripes. Vine length is about 120
cm. It takes 50 days to
first picking the yield potential is 200
qt/ha.
Pant Khira-1 The fruits are long (20 cm), cylindrical
with light white stripes. The fruits attain
first picking stage in 50-60 days.
Recommended seed rate is 4 kg/ha. The
yield potential is150 q/ha.
Pant Parthenocarpic khira-2 A parthenocarpic cucumber variety. It is
suitable for polyhouse cultivation. No.
of female flower per vine is 551.
Average fruit wt. is 630 g and yield
potential is 2107 qt/ha.

23. Parthenocarpic khira-3 A parthenocarpic cucumber
variety. It is suitable for
polyhouse cultivation. No. of
female flower per vine is 465.
Average fruit weight is 415 g
and yield potential is 1992 qt/ha.
Himangni. Fruits are white in colour and
resistant to bronzing, suitable for
kharif season, average yield 180
q/ha
CO 1 Ripe fruits are bright yellow
with greenish yellow intermitant
stripes. Average yield 25-28 t/ha.

24. Balam khira, Delicious, Devgiri, Indam 302, Mohini, Sheetal,
Snow white Swarna Ageti, Swarna , PCUC-28
Hybrids
Laxmi, Ns 45, Ns 46
Greenhouse parthenocarpic varieties
from Private Sector
Dinamik, Kuk-9, Kuk-24, Kuk-29, Hilton, Amal, Mirna,
Valleystar, Multistar, Kian, Isatis, Alpha best, Magic, Nariman
Greenhouse parthenocarpic varieties from Public Sector
Pant Parthenocarpic Cucumber-2,
Pant Parthenocarpic Cucumber-3

25. Vegetative propagation
The side shoot/ laterals or suckers are used as planting
material. Time of using these laterals as propagation material
depends largely on the purpose of taking advantage of
staggered planting or relay cropping. The lateral shoots of 9-
10 cm are taken from plants, but utmost care is required to
avoid the cutting from virus affected plants and it is always
recommended to sterilize the tools/ knife being used for
making such operations either with bleaching powder or milk
powder.
Cocopeat may be used as the rooting media. The seedlings
may be transplanted 15 days later.

27. Harvesting
Generally, cucumber is ready for first harvesting in 30 to 40
days of planting depending upon climatic conditions and crop
management practices.
Harvesting is done when fruits are more or less cylindrical
and well filled and should be carried out in early morning or
late evening. The produce should immediately be moved to
cool, shaded and ventilated area.
As fruits are harvested manually, so these should be clipped
or snapped with a slight twist motion and should not be
pulled off the vines to minimize ‘pulled ends’. Fruits keep on
developing as the plants grow and reach harvestable stage in
10-14 days after flower opening.

28. Disease and pest management
Greenhouses or protected structures are designed in such a
way to minimize or eliminate most of the insects and some of
the diseases. This is possible with the use of anti-virus nylon
nets of 40 to 50 mesh size (usually Ultra-violet stabilized) on
all sides of the greenhouse or other low cost protected
structures. Preventing the insects from entering in the
greenhouse is the best way of controlling insect problem in
the greenhouse for cucumber cultivation. The use of disease
resistant varieties also helped to reduce disease problems.

29. • Downy Mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis)
• Symptoms
• Disease appears as irregular, numerous, small, yellow areas surrounded by green
tissues scattered all over the leaf lamina. It appears just like in definite mosaic
pattern particularly in cucumber. The yellow areas are angular and bounded by
veins. Symptoms on bitter gourd are light brown while grayish brown on pointed
gourd without prominent yellowing on these hosts. In high humid weather, faint
white downy growth of fungus is observed.
• Management
• Crop should be grown with wide spacing in well-drained soil.
• Air movement and sunlight exposure helps in checking the disease initiation and
development. Bower system of cropping reduces the disease incidence.
• Field sanitation by burning crop debris to reduce the inoculums.
• Seed production should be preferably carried out in summer season because summer
crop is often free from disease.
• Use tolerant cucumber lines like Summer Prolific.
• Protective spray of Mancozeb @ 0.25% at seven days interval gives good control.
• In severe case one spray of Metalaxyl + Mancozeb @ 0.2% may be given but it
should not be repeated.

31. • Powdery Mildew (Sphaerotheca fuligena and Erysiphe
cichoracearum) Symptoms
• 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. Plants may wither and die. Growth of
plant and fruits seized. Transpiration rate is very fast from
infected leaves.
• Management
• Foliar sprays of Penconazole @ 0.05% or Tridemorph @
0.1% or Carbendazim @ 0.1%, give very good control of the
disease.
• Use tolerant line.

33. Anthracnose
Causal organism: Colletotrichum lagenarium,
It is a destructive disease of cucurbits occurring during warm
and moist seasons
All aboveground plant parts can be infected
Symptoms vary among the three principal cucurbits infected.
Leaf lesions begin as water soaked and then become yellowish
circular spots
Choose anthracnose-resistant varieties if at all possible. Resistant
cucumber slicers include Dasher II, Slicemaster, and Poinsett 76.
Many pickling cucumbers are tolerant or resistant, Score and
Premier..
Fungicides
Among fungicides available are chlorothalonil (Bravo), benomyl
(Benlate), and maneb and mancozeb formulations

35. • Fruit Rots (Phytophthora cinnamomi, Pythium, Rhizoctonia,
Phomopsis cucurbitae)
• Symptoms
• Disease is mostly observed on matured fruits as comparatively
dry rotting with characteristic pycnidia over it. Generally lower
portion of fruits touching soil surface are affected. P. cinnamomi
is causing rotting of vines, leaves and fruits of pointed gourd,
Rhizoctonia fruit rot is most severe in muskmelon, while
Phomopsis fruit rot on ash gourd.
• Management
• Avoid soil contact of fruit by using bower system of cultivation
and staking of plant.Provide proper drainage in the field.
• Green manuring followed by soil application of Trichoderma @
5 kg/ha in soil is very effective in checking most of the fruit
rotting.
• Collect affected fruits and burn them to reduce primary
inoculum.

36. • Mosaic and Leaf Distortion
• Symptoms
• Most of the cucurbits grown in rainy season are affected by virus
disease like cucumber mosaic, green mottle, leaf distortion, water
mosaic etc. Generally alternate green and yellow patches with
mottling symptoms are observed. Sometimes leaves deform and curl
downwards. Smalling and narrowing of the leaves is also observed in
leaf distortion virus. Plants become small and excessive branching,
proliferation of the leaves, twigs, petioles, bushy appearance of the
plants are observed.
• Management
• Management of the disease involves destruction of diseased hosts
and weeds. Virus free seeds must be used to check the seed
transmission.
• Initial rouging of the infected plants.
• Periodical spray of systemic insecticides up to flowering stage to
control vectors. Seed production should be preferably carried out in
summer season because summer crop is often free from virus
infection.
• Restricted use of exotic hybrids and varieties in bottle gourd, bitter
gourd and cucumber.

37. Pest of cucumber
• Dacus ciliatus L.
• Dacus cucurbitae
symptoms
• The maggots after hatching feed
on pulp of the fruits and rendered
them unfit for human
consumption.
• Rotting of fruits
• The fly is active in hot and
hibernates as pupae or adults
during the cold months.
Fruit fly

38. Control measures
• Clean cultivation- Removal and destruction of
fallen fruits and infested fruits daily to
minimize the pest intensity.
• Spraying with 0.2% carbaryl is also found
effective.
• Deep ploughing to expose hibernating stages,
• Five spraying with 0.05% Malathion at 10
days interval starting from flowering are
reported to reduce the intensity of infestation.
• Use of pheromone traps for monitoring pest
population

39. Insect Name : Red Pumpkin Beetle
Scientific Name : Alucophora foveicollis
• The grubs feed on the roots and
underground portion of host
plants and fruits touching the soil.
• Infested parts start rotting due to
secondary infection by
saprophytic fungi.
• Infested fruits become unfit for
human consumption.
• Adult feed on leaf lamina making
irregular holes.
• They prefer young seedling and
tender leaves and damage may
even kill the seedlings.

40. Management :
• As insects pupate in the soil, deep ploughing
soon after the crop exposes and kill grubs and
pupae.
• Apply Furadan 3G (Granule ) 3-4 cm deep in
soil near base of germinated seedlings.
• Collect and destroy of beetles in early stage of
infection.
• Spray Malathion @ 2 ml /liter of water for
effective control.
• Dusting with 5% Malathion @ 10kg/ha.

41. • Serpentine Leaf Miner (Liriomyza trifolii Burgess)
• This is an introduced pest occurring on many cucurbit
vegetables. Heavy incidence is noticed in watermelon, pumpkin,
cucumber, etc. However, bitter gourd seems to be resistant. A
native larval parasitoid, Hemiptarsenus vericornis is the major
parasitoid on this pest.
• Management
• Soil application of neem cake @ 250 kg/ha immediately after
germination.
• Destroy cotyledon leaves with leaf mining at 7 days after
germination.
• Spray PNSPE @ 4% or neem soap 1% or neem formulation with
10000 ppm or more (2ml/l) after 15 days sowing and repeat
after 15 days, if necessary.
• If the incidence is high first remove all severely infected leaves
and destroy. Then mix neem soap 5 gm and hostothion 1 ml/l
and spray. After one week, spray neem soap 1% or PNSPE or
neem formulation with 10000 ppm or more (2ml/l).
• Never spray the same insecticide repeatedly.

42. • Red Spider Mite (Tetranychus neocaledonicus Andre)
• This pest is serious on cucurbits during warmer climate.
Colonies of mites with in silk web can be observed on ventral
leaf surface when incidence is high.
• Management
• Spray neem or pongamia soap at 1% on lower surface
thoroughly.
• Alternately, spray Dimethoate 30 EC @ 2ml/l or Ethion 50 EC @
1ml/l or Wettable Sulphur 80 WP @ 3g/l.
• Thrips (Thrips palmi Karny)
• Both nymphs and adults feed on the young shoot tips and floral
parts and is suspected vector of Tospo virus. They are serious
during summer months.
• Management
• Soil application of neem cake (once immediately after
germination and again at flowering) followed by NSPE @ 4%
and neem soap 1% alternately at 10-15 days interval.
• Spray any systemic insecticides like Acephate 75 SP @ lg/l or
Dimethoate 30 EC @ 2ml/l.

43. • Leaf Eating Caterpillar (Dipahania (=Margaronia) indica
Saund)
• Long shining caterpillars feed on leaves and fruits.
• Apply neem cake to soil immediately after germination.
• Spray any contact insecticides like Carbaryl 50 WP @ 3g/l.
Neem or pongamia soap @ 0.75% also effectively manages
this pest.
• Soil application of neem cake (once immediately after
germination and again at flowering) followed by NSPE @
4% and neem soap 1% alternately at 10-15 days interval.
• Spray Carbaryl 50 WP @ 3g/l or Indoxacarb 0.5 ml/l.

44. • Root-knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita)
• The root-knot nematodes cause root galls from the initial
stages of the crop growth. The larvae feed on the roots,
which show typical galls, and later the entire root system
shows heavy galling. The foliage becomes light yellowish;
the plants become stunted and results in flower and fruit
drop. In spite of irrigation the plants appear sick and
drooping during daytime.
• Management
• Seed treatment with bio-pesticide Pseudomonas
fluorescens @ 10g/kg seed.
• Apply Carbofuran 3 G @ 1kg ai/ha at sowing and repeat
after 45 days.
• Apply 2 tons of FYM enriched with Pochonia
chlamydosporia and Paecilomyces lilacinus per acre before
sowing, along with 100-200 kg of neem or pongamia cake.

45. Symptoms
some time fruits of cucumber have bitter taste.
Causes
This disorder is prevalent under cool weather at high
elevations.
Open pollination and excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizer
are cause this disorder.
Management
Judicious application of nitrogenous fertilizer and controlled
self pollination would help to reduce bitterness.
Bitterness

46. Symptoms This disorder is more serious
in cucumbers qualitative losses due to
production of variously curved fruit.
Causes
Curved fruit are the result of imperfect
pollination and fertilization.
High soil moisture ,poor nutrition and
adverse temperature favour the
development of crooked-fruits.
Management
Optimum irrigation and nutrition
scheduling may prove helpful.
Keep the crop free from insect pest.
Crooked fruit or crooking or curvature

47. Symptoms
Cucurbits are highly susceptible to low temperature
or frost injury.
Causes
Freezing of cell sap results in rupture of the cell
membrane.
Control
Applying irrigation, smoking in the field and spray of
frost-preventive chemical.
Frost or low temperature injury
Pillow disorder - Calcium deficiency

48. Symptoms
The cracking is mostly vertical initiated from the basal part of
the fruit.
The slit is wide enough to expose seed and other internal
tissues.
Cracking makes the fruits prone to microbial infection and
unfit for consumption..
Fruit splitting or
cracking

49. Cause
Heavy rainfall or Rain after a long period of water stress causes
fruits to splits.
Calcium deficiency aggravates the disorder.
Management
Improving moisture conservation in soil will help reduce
cracking.
If the crop is irrigated after a long stress , apply 2-3 light
irrigation instead of one heavy irrigation.

50. Symptoms
The disorder is common in dark and uniformly
coloured cultivars of cucumber.
The side of the fruit touching moist, cool soil turns to
yellow or whitish yellow.
The uniform green colour of the fruit with is distorted
making the fruit less attractive.
Light belly colour

51. Causes
Direct contract of the fruits with moisture , soil suppresses
development of normal fruit colour.
Delay in turning the fruits in field encourages this disorder.
Management
Use of plastic mulch can check contact of fruit with moiture
soil helping to avoid this disorder
Use varieties less susceptical to this disorder.
Turn the fruit in field from time to time
Do not delay harvesting of fruits

52. Symptoms
This refers to formation of abnormal- shaped fruits with
reduced market value.
Fruit may be bottle shaped, pitcher shaped, knobby, pointed
at the blossom end or excessively elongated.
Misshapen fruits

53. Causes
Environmental factor adversely affecting pollination and
fertilization results in misshapen fruits
High plant population or dense plant canopy not providing
sufficient space to developing fruits forces abnormal growth of
the fruits
Negligence in using growth hormones and herbicides also
causes distortion of the fruit.
Management
Keep the optimum plant population
Maintain uniform soil moisture throughout the crop period.
Carefully check the concentration , time of application and
crop sensitivity before using growth regulator or herbicide.

54. BOTTLE GOURD
• B.N. – Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.
• Family – Cucurbitaceae
• Monoecious ; DNP
• Isolation distance – F – 800 m
C – 400 m
• 2n = 22 ; Origin – S. Africa
Bottle gourd or calabash is a delicately flavored,
cucurbita family vegetable. It is one of the chief culinary
vegetables in many tropical and temperate regions around the world.
Bottle gourd is a fast growing, annual climber (vine) that requires
adequate sunlight for flowering and fruiting. It can be grown under
wide range of soils and require trellis to support spread.
Its intensely branched stems bear musky, deep green, broad leaves
just similar as that in pumpkins, and white, monoecious flowers in
the summer. After about 75 days from the plantation, young, tender,
edible fruits evolve that will be ready for harvesting.

55. Bottle gourds come in wide range of shapes and sizes. The
fruit features oval, pear shaped or elongated and smooth
skin that is light green in color. In case of round or pear
sahped calabash, their surface is marked by incospicuous
ridges that run lengthwise. Internally, its flesh is white,
spongy and embedded with soft, tiny seeds.
The fruits are used as a vegetable or making sweets (e.g.
halwa, kheer, pedha and barfi) and pickles. As a vegetable,
it is easily digestible even by patients.
The dry hard shells are used to make musical instruments,
pipes, bowls, bottles, containers, floats for fishing nets etc.
Kofta is a most popular preparation.
Good source of fibre free carbohydrates and fruit pericarp
for crude fibre.
Oil extracted from kernels of seed is used as hair oil.

56. CLIMATE AND SOIL
Loam or sandy loam soil is most suitable.
Too much acidic soil pH is not suitable (less than 5.5).
Seed germination is fast at 25-30ºC.
Night temperature of 18-22ºC and day temperature of 30-
35ºC is optimum. Day temp above 40ºC may cause
scorching of leaves.
Optimum temperature has higher proportion of female
flowers and fruits/plant.
Higher temperature induces maleness.
It is grown in summer and rainy season.
In summer, the crop is sown in Dec-Jan and in rainy
season in June-July.

57. VARIETIES
• Arka Bahar
• Kalyanpur Hari Lambi – fruits slightly dark green in
color
• NDBG 1 – gives early yield in upland conditions ;
highly preferred for diara cultivation
• NDBG 4
• PBOG 1
• Phule BTG 1 - produces comparatively more female
flowers at basal nodes
• Punjab Komal – variety with shortest duration from
fruit set to maturity , 70DAS
• Punjab Long

58. • Punjab Round
• Pusa Manjari – high yielding hybrid , round fruited
• Pusa Meghdoot – F1 hybrid between Pusa Summer Prolific Long
and Sel. 2.
• Pusa Naveen – perfectly cylindrical fruit, free from crook neck
• Pusa Summer Prolific Long – can be grown in rainy season also.
• Pusa Summer Prolific Round – prolific bearer and heavy yielder.
• Rajendra Chamatkar
• Kalyanpur Long Green – developed at CSAUAT Vegetable
Research Station, Kalyanpur, Kanpur
• Samrat – released from Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth,
Rahuri ; Box packing
• Pusa Hybrid 3 – for distant market, very early maturing
• Anand BG – 1
• Junagadh Long Tender

59. • Seed rate – 3- 3.5 kg/ha
• 450-500 seeds/100 g
• Spacing – 2 x 1 m.
• After germination, the vine may be trained on bower.
• 20 t/ha FYM alongwith 100:50:50 kg/ha NPK is to be
applied. The first half dose of N must be applied as
basal while the other half 30DAS.
• The crop requires frequent irrigation as high humidity
is needed for prolific bearing. During hot and humid
weather, irrigation after every third or fourth day is
needed.
• Fruit set can be improved by spraying the plants with
MH (400 ppm) alongwith 100kg N/ha.

60. • The crop is ready for harvest approx. 60-70 DAS. The
fruits take 12-15 days after fruit setting to reach
marketable stage. Fruits should be picked after every 3-
4 days. Smaller and tender fruits fetch a better price in
the market.
• Yield – 20t/ha ; hybrids – 40-50 t/ha

61. BITTER GOURD
• Also called Balsam Pear, Bitter cucumber, bitter melon
• B.N. – Momordica charantia L.
• Family – Cucubitaceae
• 2n = 22
• Origin – Indo – Burma
• Grown for its tender fruits.
• Turn to orange yellow color when ripe
• Cheratin – effective against diabetes.
• Monoecious nature
• Fresh : dehyrated fruit ratio – 16:1
• Bitter principle – Momordicin
• Fruits rich in Fe.

62. CLIMATE AND SOIL
• warm season crop
• Optimum temperature – 25-30ºC
• Temperature <18ºC – slow growth, poor yield and
>36ºC, reduction in female flowers.
• Long days – male flowers
• Low temperature (20ºC) and short days – female flowers
• Sandy loam soils are most suitable
• pH – 6.5-7

63. SOWING
• July – Sept or Jan – Feb
• Seed rate – 4-5 kg/ha
• Seed treatment – thiram @ 2g/kg
• 4 seeds/pit are sown and later 2-3 may be retained.
Instead of sowing in the main field, the seeds can be
sown in polythene bags and can be shifted to pits in the
main field after 15-20 days.
• Spacing – 2 x 1.5 m
• The crop should be irrigated immediately after planting
in summer and subsequently at 2-3 days interval.

64. VARIETIES
• Pusa Do Mausami – grows well in summer as well as rainy season
• Pride of Surat
• Pride of Gujarat
• Arka Harit
• Pusa Vishesh – suitable for summer season
• Phule Green – MPKV, Rahuri
• Phule Green Gold
• Priya – 40 cm long fruits
• Preethi – white
• Kalyanpur sona – stuffing
• Priyanka – white
• Coimbatore Long white – extra long fruits
• Pusa hybrid – 1,2
• Konkan Tara – export ; from Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli , MH
• MDU 1 – induced mutant ; greenish white spiny fruits
• Coimbatore Green – extra long fruits upto 60 cm
• Harkani – from MPKV, Rahuri
• RHR BGH 1 – from MPKV, Rahuri ; F1 hybrid ; tolerant to downy
mildew

65. • 20 t/ha FYM alongwith 60:60:60 kg/ha NPK.
• Application of growth regulators at 2-4 leaf stage play
an important role in sex expression and sex ratio. MH @
50-150 ppm and CCC @ 50-100 ppm increase
female:male ratio. Ethrel @ 25 ppm increases female
flowers. MH @ 150-250 ppm when applied at 2 leaf
stage in ‘Pusa Do Mausami’ induces the formation of
female flowers.
• Flowering – 45-55 DAS
• First picking could be taken 60-70 days after planting.
• Yield – 10-15 t/ha ; hybrids – 20-30 t/ha

66. RIDGE GOURD
• B.N. - Luffa acutangula Roxb.
• Family – Cucurbitaceae
• 2n = 26
• Monoecious
• Origin – Asia
• Contains luffein.
• Commercially trained on kniffin system.
• Fruits are ribbed and called kali tori.
• Contains 18mg/100g Vitamin C.
• The genus derives its name from the product ‘loofah’,
which is used in bathing sponges, scrubber pads,
doormats, pillows, mattresses and also for cleaning
utensils.

67. CLIMATE & SOIL
• Grows very well in warm hot climate.
• Optimum temperature – 25 – 30ºC
• Higher temperature >38ºC produces male flowers.
• Sandy loam soil, rich in OM is most suited.
• Proper drainage is highly beneficial.
• pH – 6.5-7

68. SOWING
• Time – July – Sept ; Jan – Feb
• Seed rate – 3-5 kg/ha
• Spacing – 1.5 x 0.5 m or 1.5 x 1 m
• Sow 4 seeds/pit ; retain only 2 healthy seedlings.
• Seeds can also be raised in polybags which further
reduces seed rate to 1.5 kg/ha
VARIETIES
• Pusa Nasdar – suitable for summer and rainy season
• CO 1
• Satputia – hermaphrodite ; smaller fruits in clusters ,
pale green fruits

69. • Konkan Harita – developed by Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth,
Dapoli, MH; gives first harvest at 45 days after planting
• Punjab Sadabahar – rich in protein
• IIHR – 8 – high yielding, good market value, good cooking quality
especially stuffing
• PKM 1
• Pusa Sadabahar
• Hisar Kalitori
• Gujarat Anand RG-1
• GJRGH – 1
• Pant Toria 1
• Arka Sujat
• Arka Sumeet
• Swarna Manjari
• Swarna Uphar
• Pusa Nutan
• Surekha – hybrid

70. • FYM @ 20t/ha alongwith 50:25:25 kg/ha NPK. Half N
as basal dose and the other half 30 days after planting.
• NAA (200 ppm) helps maintain sex ratio.
• The crop is ready for harvest in about 60-90 days after
planting. The fruit attains marketable maturity about 5-
7 days after anthesis of female flower.
• Picking should be done after every 3-4 days.
• Avg. yield – 10- 15 t/ha
• Hybrids – 20-30 t/ha

71. SPONGE GOURD
• B.N. – Luffa cylindrica Roem.
• Family – Cucurbitaceae
• Fruits are smooth and called ghia tori.
• Contains luffein.
• 2n = 26
• Origin – Asia
• Has higher protein and carotene than ridge gourd.
• Monoecious
• Also called towel gourd, smooth loofah, vegetable
sponge, dish cloth gourd.

72. CLIMATE & SOIL
• Grows very well in warm hot climate.
• Optimum temperature – 25 – 30ºC
• Higher temperature >38ºC produces male flowers.
• Sandy loam soil, rich in OM is most suited.
• Proper drainage is highly beneficial.
• pH – 6.5-7
• Frost susceptible.

73. SOWING
• Time – July – Sept ; Jan – Feb
• Seed rate – 3-5 kg/ha
• Spacing – 1.5 x 0.5 m or 1.5 x 1 m
• Sow 4 seeds/pit ; retain only 2 healthy seedlings.
• Seeds can also be raised in polybags which further
reduces seed rate to 1.5 kg/ha
VARIETIES
• Pusa Sneha
• Phule Prajakta – MPKV, Rahuri
• Kalyanpur Hari
• Chikni

74. • Pusa Chikni – high yielding, early maturing, bears
flowers 45DAS, summer and rainy season
• Gujarat Galka 1
• Pusa Supriya – summer and kharif, improvement over
Pusa Chikni, ready for first picking at 47-55 DAS
• Rajendra Nenua 1
HYBRIDS
• Harita
• PGS 40
• Divyanka
• Azad Tarai 1, 2

75. • FYM @ 20t/ha alongwith 50:25:25 kg/ha NPK. Half N
as basal dose and the other half 30 days after planting.
• Ethrel (250 ppm) helps maintain sex ratio.
• The crop is ready for harvest in about 60-90 days after
planting. The fruit attains marketable maturity about 5-
7 days after anthesis of female flower.
• Picking should be done after every 3-4 days.
• Avg. yield – 10- 15 t/ha
• Hybrids – 20-30 t/ha

76. CHOW CHOW
• B.N. – Sechium edule Swartz.
• Family – Cucurbitaceae
• 2n = 24
• Origin – Mexico
• Single seeded fruit
• Most nutritious among cucurbits.
• Perennial climbing vine with tuberous roots ;
Monoecious
• High calcium content
• Also called Chayote, Choco, askas
• Propagation by fruits (vivipary)
• Pear shaped fruits

77. • Fruits, tubers, seeds and leaves have been long used by the
native Americans.
• Seeds are even considered a delicacy.
• Varieties – Round white
Long white
Pointed green
Broad Green
Oval green
• In Bangalore, 2 types green and creamy green are grown.
• Requires well drained soil rich in OM
• pH – 5.5 – 6.5
• Spacing – 3.5 x 2 m
• Plants require support by poles or trellis

78. • Vines start flowering in 3-4 months and production is
continuous.
• In Bangalore, planting is done all around the year, but
preferably July.
• A single fruit weighs 200-450 g
• Yield – 20-25 t/ha