This article throws light upon the top twelve cucurbit crops cultivated in India. The cucurbit crops are: 1. Pumpkin 2. Snake Gourd 3. Bottle Gourd 4. Bitter Gourd 5. Cucumber 6. Ridge Gourd 7. Tinda/Round Melon 8. Pointed Gourd 9. Ash Gourd 10. Sponge Gourd 11. Watermelon 12. Muskmelon.
Cucurbit Crop # 1. Pumpkin:
a. Pumpkin is also known as “Butternut squash”.
b. Botanical name: Cucurbita moschata Poir.
c. Family: Cucurbitaceae
d. Pumpkin is Amphidiploid in nature.
e. Season: June-July and December- January are suitable seasons. Seed rate/ha: 1.0-1.5 kg
f. Seed treatment: Soak the seeds in double the quantity of water for 30 minutes and incubate for 6 days. Treat the seeds with Azospirillum just before sowing.
g. Sowing: Sow the seeds (five seeds/pit) and thin the seedlings to two/pit after 15 days of planting.
h. Spacing: Pits of 30cm x 30cm x 30cm size are dug at a spacing of 2m x 2m.
i. Varieties fertilizers: Pusa Vikas, Arka Suryamukhi, Arka suryamuki and Arka Chandan, Ambili are mainly cultivated.
j. Application of fertilizers: Apply 10 kg of FYM (20 t/ha) and 100 g of NPK 6:12:12 g as basal and 10 g of N per pit after 30 days of planting.
k. After cultivation: Weeding is done thrice. Spray Ethrel 250 ppm (2.5 ml per 10 lit of water) four times at weekly intervals commencing from 10 to 15 days after sowing.
l. Chief pollinator of pumpkin is Honey bee.
m. Male and female parent can be grown in 1:3 ratio.
n. Pests: Beetles and caterpillars. Fruit fly
o. Diseases: Powdery mildew. Downy mildew
p. Harvest: When the fruits turn from green to yellow and easy detachment of stalks from the stem, harvesting can be done. Well matured fruits are harvested 85 – 90 days after sowing.
q. Yield: 18-20 t/ha of fruits can be obtained.
Cucurbit Crop # 2. Snake Gourd:
a. Botanical name: Trichosanthes cucumerina.
b. Soil: Sandy loam soils rich in organic matter with good drainage and the pH ranging from 6-5-7.5 is best suited for snake gourd cultivation. This crop requires a moderate warm temperature.
c. Season: July and January are highly suitable for cultivation.
d. Seed rate/ha: 1.5 kg
e. Seed treatment: Treat seeds with Trichoderma viride 4 g/kg or Pseudomonas fluoresces 10 g/kg or Carbendazim 2 g/kg of seeds before sowing.
f. Sowing: Sow the seeds (5 seeds / pit) and thin the seedlings to two/pit after 15 days of sowing.
g. Irrigation: Irrigate the basin before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once a week.
h. Varieties fertilizers: Col, Co2, PKMl, MDUl and PLR (SG) 1 are some of the popular varieties of snake gourd.
i. Application of fertilizers: Apply 10 kg of FYM, 100 g of NPK 6:12:12 as basal/pit and N @ 10 g/pit 30 days after sowing.
j. After cultivation:
Hoeing and weeding can be done thrice or as and when necessary. Provide stakes and train the plants to reach the pandal height (2m) Pandal is not essential for Co 2 variety. Spray Ethrel 100ppm (1 ml in 10 lit of water) four times from 10 to 15 days after sowing at weekly intervals. Pests: Beetles and caterpillars. Fruit fly Diseases: Powdery mildew. Downy mildew Yield: 18 t/ha can be obtained.
Cucurbit Crop # 3. Bottle Gourd:
a. Botanical name: Lagenaria siceraria (Mol) Standi
b.Soil: Sandy loamy soils rich in organic matter with good drainage and the pH ranges from 6.5 to 7.5 are suited for bottle gourd cultivation. This crop requires a moderate warm temperature.
c. Season of sowing: July and January are suitable for sowing.
d. Seed rate/ha: 3-4 kg.
e. Seed treatment: Treated with Trichoderma viride 4 g or Pseudomonas fluoresces 10 g or Carbendazim 2 g/kg of seeds before sowing.
f. Sowing: Sow the seeds @ three seeds/pit and thin the seedlings to two/pit after 15 days.
g. Irrigation: Irrigate the field before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once a week.
h. Varieties fertilizers: CO 1, Pusa Summer Prolific long, Summer Prolific Round, Pusa Manjari, Pusa Megdoot and Arka Bahar.
i. Application of fertilizers: Apply 10 kg of FYM (20 t/ha), 100 g of NPK 6:12:12 mivture/pit as basal and 10 g of N/plt 50 days after sowing.
j. Pests: Beetles, fruit flies and caterpillars
k.Diseases: Powdery mildew. Downy mildew
l. Harvest: Fruits are harvested at tender stage and before 100 % maturity. ik Yield: About 15 – 20 t/ha can be obtained.
Cucurbit Crop # 4. Bitter Gourd:
a. Bitter gourd is also known as “Bitter cucumber”,
b. Botanical name: Momordica charantia L.
c. 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.
d. Season of planting: July and January.
e. Seed rate/ha: 4.5-5 kg.
f. Sowing: Sow the seeds (5seeds/pit) treated with Trichoderma viride 4 g or Pseudomonas fluoresces 10 g or Carbendazim 10 g/kg of seeds and thin the seedlings to two/ pit after 15 days.
g. Irrigation: Irrigate the basins before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once a week.
Varieties fertilizers: Co 1, MDUl, COBgoH 1 (Hybrid), Arka Harit, Priya and Preethi.
h. 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.
i. After cultivation: Hoeing is done thrice to control weeds. Provide stakes to reach the pandal (2m). Spray Ethrel 100 ppm (1 ml dissolved in 10 lit of water) four times from 15th day after sowing at weekly intervals.
j. Pests: Beetles, fruit flies and caterpillars
k. Diseases: Powdery mildew. Downy mildew
l. Yield: Varieties: 14 t/ha
Hybrids: 40 t/ha
Cucurbit Crop # 5. Cucumber:
a. Botanical name: Cucumis sativus L.
b. 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.
c. Season of sowing: June or January to April
d. Seed rate/ha: 2.5-3.5 kg.
e. Seed treatment:
Treat the seeds with Trichoderma viride 4 g/kg or Pseudomonas fluoresces 10 g/kg or Carbendazim 2 g/kg of seeds before sowing.
f. Sowing:
Sow the seeds on one side of channel giving a spacing of 0.6 m between hills. Thin the seedlings to two/hill at 15 days after planting.
g. Irrigation:
Irrigate the field before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once a week.
H. Varieties fertilizers:
Co 1, Japanese Long Green, Straight Eight and Poinsett, China long, Sheetal.
a. Hybrid:
Himangi, Phule subhangi, Pusa Sanyog. -Ci Application of fertilizers: Apply FYM 40 t/ha as basal and 35 kg of N/ha at 30 days after sowing. ^ After cultivation: Spray Ethrel 200 ppm (2 ml/10 lit of water) four times commencing from 15th day after sowing at weekly intervals to increase no. of female flower and fruit yield.
j. Pests: Fruit flies
k. Diseases:
Powdery mildew. Downy mildew ^ Harvesting: Harvest can be done 45 days after sowing. On an average 8 – 10 harvests can be done.
l. Yield:
About 8-10 t/ha can be obtained.
Cucurbit Crop # 6. Ridge Gourd:
a. Botanical name: Luffa acutangula Roxb
b. Soil: Sandy loam rich in organic matter with good drainage and pH range from 6.5-7.5 is ideal for ribbed gourd cultivation.
c. Season of planting: July and January.
d. Seed rate/ha: 4-5 kg.
e. Sowing: Sow the seeds (5 seeds / pit) and thin the seedlings to two/ pit after 15 days.
f. Irrigation: Irrigate the basin before dibbling the seeds and thereafter once in a week.
g. Varieties fertilizers: Pusa Nasdar, Satputia, Punjab sadabahar, Surekha, Arka Sumeet and Arka Sujata.
h. Application of fertilizers: Apply 10 kg of FYM, 100 g of NPK 6:12:12 g mixture as basal dose/pit and N @ 10 g/pit at 30 days after sowing.
i. Yield: 14-15 t/ha
Cucurbit Crop # 7. Tinda/Round Melon:
a. Botanical name: Citrullus latanus var.fistulousus Schrad
b. Seed rate/ha: 3.5 kg
c. Varieties fertilizers: Annamalai tinda, Arka tinda
d. Application of fertilizers: Apply FYM10 t/ha, N 20 kg/ha as basal and N 20 kg/ha 30 days after sowing.
e. Yield: 10 t/ha
Cucurbit Crop # 8. Pointed Gourd:
a. Botanical name: Trichosanthus dioca
b. Propogation: Vine cutting ©2000-2500 cuttings/ha.
c. Varieties fertilizers: Kalyani, Damoder, Chhota HUH, Shankolia, Bihar Sharif
Cucurbit Crop # 9. Ash Gourd:
a. Ash gourd is also known as “White gourd, Wax gourd & Chinese preserving melon”.
b. Botanical name: Benincasa hispida
c. Seed rate/ha: 3.5-4.0 kg/ha.
d. Varieties fertilizers: Mudlier, Pusa Ujjwal etc.
Cucurbit Crop # 10. Sponge Gourd:
a. Botanical name: Luffa cylindrica
b. Seed rate/ha: 4 kg.
c. Varieties fertilizers: Pusa Chikni, Pusa Supriya, Phule Prajakta, Harita.
Cucurbit Crop # 11. Watermelon:
a. Botanical name:
Citrullus lanatus (Thumb) Matsum and Nakai ik Musk melon fruit contains 95% water.
b. Cucurbitacin E is the main bitter substance.
c. Soil: Sandy loam rich in organic matter with good drainage and pH range for 6.5 -7.5 is ideal for cultivation of watermelon. This crop requires a moderate warm temperature.
d. Season of sowing:
Sow the seeds during November – December. Seed rate/ha: 3.5-5 kg
e. Seed treatment:
Treat with Trichoderma viiridi 4 g or Pseudomonasfluorescens 10 g or Carbendizim 2g/kg of seeds
f. Sowing:
Sow the seeds on one side of the channel with a spacing of 0.9 m between hills. Thin the seedlings 2/hill at 15 days after sowing. Sowing during January – February enables harvest during summer months and fetches higher price.
g. Varieties fertilizers:
PKM 1, Sugar Baby (11-13% TSS), Arka Rajahans, Durgapur meetha, Madhur, Milan.
h. Hybrid:
Arka fyoti, Arka manik, Pusa bedana.
i. Application of fertilizers:
Apply FYM 20 t/ha, P 55 kg and K 55 kg (as basal) and N 55 kg/ha at 30 days after sowing.
j. After cultivation:
Spray Ethrel 250 ppm (2.5 ml/10 lit of water) 4 times at weekly intervals commencing from 15 days after sowing. Weeding is done thrice.
k. Pests:
Beetles, Fruit flies ik Harvest: At full mature stage.
l. Yield:
25 – 30 t/ha of fruits can be obtained.
m. White heart at central position shows poor quality fruits.
Cucurbit Crop # 12. Muskmelon:
a. Musk melon is also known as “Wholesome food”.
b. Botanical name: Cucumis melo
c. Seed rate: 3-5 kg
d. Varieties fertilizers: Arka Suryamukhi, Pink Banana etc.