Introduction Among the indigenous cucurbits pointed gourd
occupies an important place. It is a dioecious annual or perennial
herbaceous vegetable, also known as green potato". one of the
choicest cucurbit vegetable liked by many. Grown widely throughout
Asia, Australia & Bangladesh. Fruits of pointed gourd plant are
used as vegetable in Indian traditional food system for time
immemorial.
Botanical Classification Kingdom Plantae Division Magnoliophyta
Class Magnoliopsida Order Cucurbitales Family Cucurbitaceous Genus
Trichosanthes Species dioica Botanical name Trichosanthes dioica
Roxb. Common name Pointed Gourd,Parwal
Origin & distribution It is a tropical vegetable crop
native to India(Indo-Malayan region). Widely cultivated in Eastern
part of India & plains of N-India from Punjab to Assam.
Extensively cultivated all over Bihar, West Bengal,Odisha &
Assam. Bengal-Assam area is the primary centre of origin of pointed
gourd. It is cultivated in an estimated area of 10,000 ha in India
mainly in Diara lands of major rivers of UP, Bihar & WB.
Morphology It is a perennial, dioecious cucurbit grown as vine.
Vine are pencil thick in size.(2n=22)
Leaves:darkgreen,cordate,ovate,oblong,rigid,si mple & not
lobed. Roots-tuberous with long tap root system
Flowers-dioecious,tubular white with 16-19 days initiation to
anthesis time for pistillate flowers & 10-14 days for staminate
flowers, stigma remains viable for approximately 14 hrs. Fruits-
globose,oblong,smooth,striped. Seeds-globose
Based on shape, size & striations fruits can be grouped in
to 4 categories (Singh, 1989) 1)Long, dark green with white
stripes
2)Thick ,dark green with very pale green stripes,10-16 cm
long
3)Roundish, dark green with white stripes,5-8 cm long
4)Tapering, green & striped,5-8 cm long
In Madhya Pradesh 5th type of cultivar is popular having
pale-white oval fruits without any markings (More &
Shinde,2003)
Nutritional composition It has higher nutrient content than
other cucurbits (Pandit & Hazra 2008). It is a rich source of
vitamin A(153g/100g) , C & nutrients like Mg,K,P,Cl. Also rich
in protein; protein levels are 10 times higher than of bottle gourd
& 4 times that of snake gourd, ridge gourd & ash gourd.
Good source of minerals & carbohydrates. Low in cholesterol
& fat. A trace of 5-hydroxytrytamine has also been detected in
pointed gourd (Gopalan et al.,1999).
Nutritional value of pointed gourd(per 100g fresh weight of
edible fruits).(Singh et al.,1989 & 2001;Choudhury 1996)
Constituents Amount Moisture 92 g Protein 0.7 g Fat 0.2 g Minerals
0.5 g Fibre 3.0 g Carbohydrates 2.2 g Energy 20 kcal Calcium 30 mg
Phosphorous 40 mg Iron 1.7 mg Carotene 153 mg Thiamine 0.05 mg
Riboflavin 0.06 mg Niacin 0.5 mg
Every 100 g fresh leaves contains (Gopalan et al 1989 ;
Seshadri 1990) Seed extracts possesses hemagglutination activity
that may have some diagnostic application (sathe et al .1967)
constituents amount Protein 5.4 mg Fiber 4.2 mg Calcium 531 mg
Phosphorous 73 mg Energy 55 k cal
Trichosanthes dioica seeds contains large amount of
peptides(Kabir et al.,2000),also contains lectin,a carbohydrate
binding protein(specifically galactose) (sultan & kenoth et al.
2004). Uses Immature fruits used as vegetables. Its young leaves
are very nutritive & are used as leafy vegetable. Shoot tips
are also consumed.(Anon 1998) Also pickled, used in
confectionaries.(Paris & Maynard 2008). Fruits are used in
making curry & fried. A famous sweet by putting fruits in sugar
syrup is made in India.
Medicinal value It is a very ancient ayurvadic medicinal herb
used in many medicines It is a food for convalescents Have diuretic
& laxative properties It is cardiotonic Recommended for
bronchitis,biliousness,high fever, nervousness Lowers cholesterol
& blood sugar( sharma & pant,1988;chandrasekar et al,1989)
Good for curing blood & skin diseases, also purifies blood
Relieve the feeling of food satiation & excessive thirst Light
& easy to digest, improves digestion strength Balances cough
& bile
Useful in itching & burning sensation Natural aphrodisiac
Improves taste, useful in anorexia Good for skin ,improves
complexion Used as medicine in jaundice, viral infections, flu,
anemia ,gastritis ,bloating ,ENT disorders etc. Used for treating
Diabetes mellitus. It has been reported that the presence of
flavinoids & trace element like Cu,k & Mg are responsible
for anti- diabetic activity of pointed gourd plants.( Kar et al,
1999) Juice of leaves used as tonic, febrifuge & in subacute
case of enlargement of liver & spleen.
In charaka samhita it is described that leaves & fruits are
used for treating alcoholism. Leaves are used curing in
odema,alopecia & root causes mild purgation. Antihelmintic-the
extract of the leaves of pointed gourd is an effective nematocide
(Bhattacharya et al.2009) Anti-hyperglycemic-study shows that seeds
of T.dioica are anti-hyperglycemic.(Shivhare et al.2010)
Antioxidant-Protects the body against oxidative stress by
neutralizing free radicals. Aqueous extracts of leaves of T.dioica
contains rich amount of polyphenols which are very potent natural
antioxidants. Similarly in another study antioxidant activity of
fruits of T.dioica was evaluated & compared with ascorbic acid
(standard).The result showed that aqueous extract of T.dioica
fruits posses in vitro free radical scavenging activity.(Sharmila
et al.2007)
Cholesterol lowering activity Sharma et al. 1988 reported that
aqueous fruit extract of T.dioica exhibits cholesterol & body
weight lowering activities in both normal & hyperglycemic rats.
Antidiabetic-Sharma et al. 1989 & Chandrasekhar et al. 2008
reported that aqueous extract of T.dioica fruits reduces the levels
of fasting blood glucose, postprandial glucose,asparate amino
transferase,alanine amino transferase,alkaline
phosphatase,cretinine,urine sugar, urine protein where as increases
total protein & body weight.
Antipyretic-Sudarshan churna is very potent Ayurvedic
preparation which is used traditionally as antimalarial &
antipyretic formulation.Swertia Chirata & T.dioica is key
ingredient in sudarshan churna.(Bhargava et al.2008) Glycemic
property-Aqueous extracts of T.dioica leaves has good hypoglycemic
potential along with a high anti-diabetic profile.(Rai et al.2008)
Chandrasekhar et al(1988)have reported that pointed gourd possesses
the medicinal property of lowering blood sugar level in rats.
Ghaisas et al.(2008)showed hepatoprotective activity of aqueous
& ethanolic extract of T.dioica (whole plant)in ferrous
sulphate-induced liver injury. Fulzul et al. (2001)found
anti-inflammatory activity of T.dioica. Bhujbal(1999) showed that
polyherb formulation including T.dioica is useful in skin disorder.
Hariti & Rathee et al.(1996) stated that the oil of seeds of
T.dioica have antifungal property. They also studied the
antibacterial activity of oil T.dioica seeds against Bacilus
anthracis & Xanthomonas malacearum.
The leaves, fruits & seeds of T.dioica plant may be used as
antibacterial agent. The leaves extract could be used for
tuberculosis treatment.(Rai et al.2010) Shivhare et
al.(2010)reported a scientific evaluation for the wound healing
potential of methanolic (Me OH) extract of T.dioica fruits. Sharma
& Pant et al.(1992)showed influence of alcoholic extract of
whole fruit of T.dioica on blood sugar, serum lipids, lipoproteins
& faecal sterols in normal albino rabbits. It was observed that
this extract lowered the blood sugar ,total cholesterol, low
density, lipoprotein cholesterol & triglycerides levels &
increased the high density lipoprotein cholesterol phospholipids
& faecal sterol levels.
Cultivation Trichosanthes is the largest genus of the family
cucurbitaceae. In plains pointed gourd cultivation is intensive
& very remunerative. Pointed gourd is one of the important
cucurbitaceous vegetable of northern India especially in the
Gangetic plain. Mostly the cultivation of this vegetable is done on
sandy soils in river beds which is unsuitable for cereal or pulse
production. Fresh fruits give a good cash return. Because of low
cost of cultivation and high return, its cultivation is suitable
for small & marginal farmers.
Riverbed cultivation of pointed gourd
Climate Prefers warm, humid climate. Severe cold / frost are
unfavorable for plant growth & development, crop remains
dormant during winter. Vigorous growth starts only with the onset
of spring. Soil Well drained sandy to sandy loam soil with good
fertility Does not with stand water logging In W.B, it is commonly
grown in river beds Suitable for high rainfall areas without water
logging condition.
Propagation By vine cuttings & root suckers Seed
propagation is avoided due to poor germination & in ability to
determine sex of the plants before flowering(50% plants may be
male). Fresh vines with 8-10 nodes per cuttings are suitable for
field planting. Cuttings should be partially or fully defoliated to
check transpiration. Plant to plant distance:1.5-2 m x 1.5-2 m
(Singh,1989;Yadav,1989) A female: male ratio of 9:1 is optimum for
ensuring maximum fruit set( Maurya et al,1985)
Prepared cuttings
Watering to the prepared cuttings
Time & system of planting Mid August in plains(uplands) Mid
November in Diara lands/medium lands. Bower system requires 8000
cuttings/ha with a spacing of 1.5x 1 m plant to plant. Flat system
requires 4500-5000 cuttings/ha with a spacing of 1 x 1 m plant to
plant. River bed cultivation requires 3500-4000 cuttings/ha.
Field preparation
Field leveling
Pit preparation
Planting of cuttings
Manure & fertilizer FYM @20-25 t/ha should be applied to
the field at the time of field preparation before planting of
cuttings. Singh et al.(1989) recommended 90:60:40 kg N,P2O5,K2O/ha
for maximum return. Das et al.(1987) reported maximum early &
total yield at N:P rates of 90:60 kg/ha while Kumar et al. obtained
maximum no. of fruits/plant when both N & P were applied @ 60
kg/ha. To obtain a good yield half of N & full P & K are
applied at the time of planting & remaining half dose of N is
applied at the time of flowering.
Crop rotation & intercropping Pointed gourd can be raised
in various cropping sequences like It can also grown as an
intercrop with betel vine in some areas of U.P & W.B( Maity et
al.,1995;Anwar et al.,2002;Singh,1989) Potato (Nov-Jan) Pointed
gourd (Feb-Oct) Radish (Nov-Jan) Pointed gourd (Feb-Oct) Early pea
(Nov-Jan) Pointed gourd (Feb-Oct) Palak (Nov-Jan) Pointed gourd
(Feb-Oct)
Irrigation, ratooning & pruning Pointed gourd requires
irrigation at 20 days interval during winter & 10 days interval
during summer for better crop. For ratoon crop, the NPK mixture
with well rotton FYM is applied by loosening the soil around the
mound towards the end of winter or before start of fruiting every
year. Pruning-During winter the growth of meristematic tissue is
retarded to a great extent. Therefore vines should be pruned 15 cm
from the ground before the winter (Oct-Nov) sets in.
Interculture & training Mulching with straw, sugarcane
trash or black polythene helps in suppression of weeds &
protect the fruits from rotting in contact with soli.(Diwedi et
al.1999) Diwedi et al.1999 recommended application of paraquat @0.5
kg/ha with 2 hand weeding is ideal to keep the crop weed free.
Training-Vines require aerial support system to achieve maximum
fruit production.(Prasad & Singh, 1987;Yadav et al,1987)
Singh(1987) reported 14% higher yield on vines trained on bower
system compared to those growing on ground. Picking also becomes
very easy if the vines are trained.
Vines trained on trellis system facilitate effective
pollination & luxuriant growth leading to earlier Flowering
& higher yield than flat bed system (Singh 1989;Yadav et al
1989)
Bower system
POINTED GOURD CULTIVATION IS MORE REMUNERATIVE IN TRIANGULAR
STAKING SYSTEM Practical utility of innovation 1-It is low cost as
compared to other trailing system. 2-Increased yield up to 38.1 %
over farmers practice. 3-Easy plucking of fruits. 4-Easyness in
intercultural operation. 5-Improved quality of fruits as there is
no rotting. 6-Suitable for high rainfall area. 7-Suitable for small
and marginal farmers. 8-It can be adopted for other crops like
spine gourd, bitter gourd, ridge gourd etc.
Triangular staking system
Sri Banamali Pradhan of Dumukipur village,pipili,puri innovated
one low cost trailing technique to combat the rotting problem of
pointed gourd cultivation during rainy season. He started pointed
gourd cultivation in an area of 0.5 ha. in triangular staking
system made up of bamboos and other locally available staking
materials. He placed a series of two bamboos in a triangular manner
in a row with spacing of 5 ft X 5 ft on both the sides. Bamboos
stripes were tied horizontally between two triangular bamboos and
in between locally available staking materials were given. Planting
was done on both the sides of staking system at spacing of 5 ft X 5
ft. In the system he harvested 256.2 q pointed gourd per ha with a
net income of Rs 2,19,510/- with an investment of 87,800per
ha.
Harvesting & yield Crops starts fruiting from feb &
continues up to monsoon. The 2nd flush begins with the rains &
continues till Oct. Harvesting of fruits is done at mature green
marketable stage i.e. at 15-18 days after fruit set.
Yield-Harvesting of fruits at weekly interval gives more yield. In
1st year: 75-90q/ha but subsequent years yield increases up to
150-200 q/ha. In tropics pointed gourd produces maximum yield for
3-4 years, after which yielding potential gradually declines(
Samalo & parida,1983)
Storage Singh (1989) recommended treatment of Pointed gourd
fruits with Waxol (12%) for increasing the shelf- life up to 8
days. In ordinary condition pointed gourd fruits can be easily kept
at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Immature fruits Mature fruits
Varieties Swarna Alaukik It is a HYV. Developed by ICAR
research complex for eastern region Ranchi, Jharkhand. light green
fruits with blunt ends Fruits are 5-8 cm long,solid,thin skin &
good for vegetable as well as preparation of sweets. Average yield
is 230-280 q/ha on vertical staking. Recommended for upland &
plataeu regions of Bihar,Gangetic plains of U.P,plains of Odisha
& W.B. It has also been introduced to Telengana region of
A.P.
Swarna Rekha: A vigorously growing HYV. Developed at ICAR
research complex for eastern region Ranchi, Jharkhand. Fruits are
greenish white,8-10 cm long & tapering to both sides. Avg.
yield 200-300 q/ha on vertical bower system. Recommended for plains
& plateau region of Bihar. Rajendra parwal-1: Developed at
Rajendra Agriculture University,Samastipur,Bihar. It is highly
suitable for cultivation in Diara land.
Fruits are big sized. Average yield is 140-150 q/ha. Rajendra
parwal-2: Developed at Rajendra Agriculture
University,Samastipur,Bihar. This variety is also suitable for
Diara land cultivation. Fruits are dark green with white stripes.
Suitable for cultivation in Bihar & U.P. Avg. yield 150-170
q/ha
Faizabad parwal-1: Developed at Narendradev university of
agriculture & technology,Faizabad,U.P. It produces very
attractive green round fruits. Avg. yield is 150-170 q/ha It is
recommended for commercial cultivation in U.P & adjoining parts
of Bihar. Faizabad parwal-3:fruits are spindle shaped, green &
less striped. They are excellent for culinary purpose. Avg. yield
125-150 q/ha It is suitable for eastern & western U.P.
Faizabad Parwal-4: HYV & recommended for reclaimed sodic
soil. Fruits light green colour,spindle shaped with tapering end.
Recommended for bower system of cultivation. Chess hybrid-1:It is
the 1st parwal variety developed in the country. Fruits are very
attractive ,large sized, dark green stripped weighing about
30-35g.Early maturing ,can be stored for 6-8 days under normal room
tempt. Avg. yield 280-300q/ha. It is adopted to upland of
Bihar,U.P,Odisha,W.B & parts of Assam. Resistant to Fruit fly
infestation.
Chess Hybrid-2: It is a high yielding variety produced dark
green stripped fruits Avg wt of each fruit is 25-30g Avg yield is
300-400 q/ha Chhota Hilli: Fruits are medium sized, oval to spindle
shaped, swollen in middle. Greenish with prominent white stripped
,blunt at the stalk . Dandali: Fruits are medium sized, egg shaped,
light green. Stalk end dispersed, slightly stripped & group
towards distal end.
Hilli: Fruits are oblong,lenth of fruit is avg.9.6 cm &
width is avg. 3 cm Greenish fruit with white stripe, tapering
towards distal end with disperse neck. Shankolia: Fruits are medium
long Resembling to both shank & shell Tapering towards both
side & greenish Slightly beaked towards distal end.
Varieties developed from IIVR,Varanasi,U.P. are IIVR PG-1,IIVR
PG-2,IIVR PG-105(seedless). CHPG-15 has been identified as most
promising line of pointed gourd & it is tolerant to powdery
mildew & Fusarium wilt. Local Varieties:
W.B-Kazil,Bombay,Damodar. U.P- Dandli, Kalyani, Guli,Bihar Sharif
M.P-Green Oval, Green long Striped, White Oval Bihar- Sopari
Safeda,Miria,Santokhwa Among the local types Dandli has the
heaviest fruits & Santokhwa has the longest vines & fruits
(Kumar et al.,1995)
Future prospects: Pointed gourd is emerging as a very potential
crop for its nutritional & medicinal importance. It provides
most opportunity to small farmers living close to metropolitan
cities where it can be grown for supply to international markets
& ethenic grocery shops. The demand for this vegetable from
minorities from Indian subcontinent present in foreign country is
also high & occasional imports are sold for US $ 9-10/kg in
international market.(Singh & Whitehead,1999) The crop also has
potential for production in home gardens where it can be provide a
nutritious vegetable for an extended period.
Crop improvements Wide scope of varietal improvements can be
possible in pointed gourd through hybridization & selection.
(Ram,2001) Clonal selection are promising approach for genetic
improvement of this species. There is also need to develop
varieties which are high yielding & early maturity with fruits
still tender having immature seeds at harvest. Need for
Identification of Parthenocarpic pointed gourd germplasm Which sets
fruit without pollination & fertilization. For cultivation of
this planting male plant is not required, only female plants are
grown by root cuttings.
Fruits thus developed are seedless with only unfertilized
ovules & without solid seeds. Advantage Of the selection are;
it reduces production cost incurred for manual pollination. No land
occupied by unproductive male plants. Seedless fruits get better
market price. Disadvantage Shorter shelf life of fruits. Trial to
other cultivated variety are required for releasing the germplasm
as parthenocarpic variety.(Mondal & Mitra,ICAR NEWS, july-sept
2011)
Use of Plant Growth Regulators: Dubey & Nair (1972)
recorded maximum fruit set (80%) with application of NAA @200-300
ppm. NAA @ 100-500 ppm also induces parthenocarpy in cv. White
Oval. Application of GA3 @ 40 ppm increases the no. of female
flowers by 20% resulting in increased fruit set by 18.7%.(Basu et
al.,1999) Application of silver nitrate @ 1000 ppm induces
hermaphrodite flower.(Hoque et al.,2002) Silver nitrate also
induces parthenocarpy. Application of 100 mg/l IBA increases
rooting of vine cuttings with 1-3 nodes (Pandey & Ram
2000)
In vitro propagation of pointed gourd Availability of quality
planting material is a major limitation in pointed gourd
cultivation round the year, so optimization of in-vitro plantlets
development can be a tool for large scale propagation &
conservation of germplasm. Plant regeneration in pointed gourd has
been achieved from shoot tips, nodal explants & immature/mature
cotyledons (Hoque et al.1998) MS(Murashige & Skoog)medium is
widely used for micropropagation in pointed gourd.
Shoot regeneration media includes BA either alone or in
combination with a low concentration of an auxin, such as NAA or
IBA .(Yadava & Dhir 1995;Hoque et al 1998; Debnath et al
2000;Kumar 2008) Mythili & Thomas (1999) reported that a
combination of IAA (1.0m) & IBA (0.2 m) is the most suitable
for multiple shoot development. Study shows that best initial
microshoot response was observed with basal nodal segment on the
media containing kinetin @ 8.0 mg/lt.(Kundan Kisore et al,2012) Up
to 92% regeneration was obtained from cotyledons from
physiologically immature & mature seeds cultured on MS medium
containing 4.4 m BA.(Hoque et al,1998)
Rooted plantlets of pointed-gourd
Effect of BAP and IAA on callus formation and plant
regeneration in Pointed gourd(a) Swelling in the leaf explants
inoculated on MS +1.5 mg/l BAP after 6days of inoculation (b)
Callus induction in leaf explants after 10 days of inoculation on
MS + 2.5 mg/l BAP, (c) Callus induction in nodal explants
inoculated on MS + 2.5 mg/l BAP after 8 days of inoculation, (d)
Nodal explants turning into white crystalline mass of tissues on MS
+ 3.0 mg/l BAP after 40 days of inoculation, (e) Shoot tip explants
showing induction of callus on MS + 3.0 mg/l BAP after 14days of
inoculation, (f) Shoot tip callus with a green shoot bud on MS +
2.5 mg/l BAP after 6days of inoculation.
Effect of BAP and IAA on callus formation and plant
regeneration in Pointed gourd. A B C D
Effect of BAP and IAA on callus formation and plant
regeneration in Pointed gourd. (a) Nodal explants showing direct
shoot initiation on MS + 2.5 mg/l BAP after 10 days of inoculation,
(b) Shoot initiation from callus from MS + 2.5 mg/l BAP after 20
days of sub culturing, (c) Rhizogenesis from callus MS + 2.5 mg/l
BAP after 6days of inoculation, (d) In vitro regenerated plantlet
of Pointed gourd with well developed root.
Highest % of shoot regeneration is obtained when nodal explants
were cultured on MS+1.0mg/l BAP. Among shoot tip & nodal
segment explants, nodal segment was found better for shoot
regeneration & multiplication.(Hoque et al.2012) Swarna Alaukik
(6.6 cuttings per explant) shows highest rate of multiplication
than Swarna Rekha (4.9) when shoot tip & nodal explants are
cultured on MS medium containing IAA(1.0 m) & IBA
(0.2m).(Mythili et al,1999)
In the case of micropropagation using shoot tip & nodal
segments about 8 shoots can be obtained from a single explant in 4
weeks as compared to only 8-10 cuttings produced from each plant in
1 yr by the conventional method of vegetative production. Therefore
micropropagation has the potential for producing large number of
quality propagules of elite clones in short period. In India,the
Agro Division of Cadila Pharmaceuticals limited is producing 0.3
million plants per annum of Anawal pointed gourd through tissue
culture at a price of Rs.12/- each in Gujarat state(Anon,2010) The
sex-associated random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers are
utilized as a quality control to check the sex & uniformity of
the propagules.(Kumar et al,2008)
cost of cultivation of pointed gourd (with hired labour) Area
-1 ha Labour @Rs 126/MD Spacing -2 m2 m A.LABOUR UNIT/MD COST(Rs.)
1.Tractor [email protected]/hr 10 hr 4000/- 2.Cleaning field &
bunds 20MD 2520/- 3.Lay out, pit making 50MD 6300/- 4.Pit filling
with compost & basal fertilizers 30MD 3780/- 5.Root treatment
& planting 30MD 3780/- 6.Irrigation (need based) 45MD
5670/-
A.LABOUR UNIT/MD COST(Rs.) 8.Application of fertilizer,
micronutrient 30MD 3780/- 9.Application of plant protection
chemicals & plant growth regulators 30MD 3780/- 10.Application
& lifting of mulching material 20MD 2520/- 11.Harvesting &
postharvest handling SUBTOTAL A 200MD 540MD 25200/- 72,040/-
B.INPUTS UNITS COST(Rs.) 1.Cost of cuttings @ Rs.8/per cutting
2500 number of cuttings 20,000/- 2.Root treating [email protected]/g
100 g 300/- 3.Manure or compost @1000/MT 10MT 10000/-
4.Biofertilizers (Azotobactor + PSB)@50/kg 10kg 500/- 5.Fertilizers
N @Rs.10.50/kg P2O5 @Rs.16.22/kg K2O @Rs.7.50/kg 120 kg 80 kg 80 kg
1260/- 1298/- 600/- 6.Micronutrients @Rs.500/kg/l 5kg/l 2500/-
GRAND TOTAL= SUBTOTAL A + SUBTOTAL B + MISCELLANEOUS = 72,040/-
+44,558/- + 6000/- =122,598/- Yield of fruit : 150 qt/ha (average)
Gross income @ Rs.30/kg :Rs. 450,000/- Net income : Rs.327,402/-
Benefit cost ratio : 2.67