Teasel gourd (Momordica subangulata subsp. renigera) belongs to cucurbitaceae family and is closely related to bitter gourd. The unripe fruits are highly nutritious, bitterless, very astringent and can be used as an appetizer. Teasle gourd is popularly known as bitterless bitter gourd or vegetable mutton. Though, it is rich in vitamins and minerals, this crop remains underutilised due to lack of awareness and information on cultivation practices. Very little efforts have been taken in the past to popularise teasel gourd for commercial cultivation.

            It is a dioecious perennial climber with tuberous roots mainly cultivated in Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Odissa, North-eastern States, and Andaman Islands. Recently, this crop getting momentum by the farmers of Andhra, Telangana and Karnataka owing to its adaptability, consumer preference and high market value. Bitter gourd is one of the most disliked vegetables because of its taste. But given its nutritional and medicinal value one is often forced to eat it. So, Teasle Gourd will be an alternative crop since it doesn’t have any bitterness. There is a scope to exploit this crop commercially among the consumers who do not like bittergourd.  

Demonstration block at KIA

            Keeping the scope and importance of teasle gourd in view, KIA has established a demo plot (20 cents) at North Farm during February, 2020. Planting materials were procured from IIHR-Central Horticultural Experimental Station, Chettalli, Karnataka. The crop was cultivated in raised beds, Polymulch and drip irrigation system. A spacing of 1.5×1.5 m was adopted under pit system with single row planting.

As teasel gourd is producing weak stemmed plants they require a trellis or pandal to support the climbing vine. Staking and trellising will increase fruit yield and size, reduce fruit rot and make spraying and harvesting easier. So, Single trellis system was adopted for cultivation since the irrigation through drip and hand pollination is very easy. It was done by erecting iron or wooden poles extending the whole length of bed at a distance of 8 m intervals with 6 feet height which can accommodate four plants between two poles.

             First flowering were observed at 60 days after planting. In teasel gourd natural pollination contributed only about 15-50% fruit set while artificial pollination gave 95-100 % fruit set.  A few male plants (one male plant for every ten female plants) were planted separately in a corner of the plot as pollen source. Male flowers are plucked and stamens touched to receptive stigmas between 6 and 10 am for 100% fruit set.

The marketable maturity was recorded between 12 and 15 days after flowering. First harvest was observed on 60 to 70 days after planting (DAP). Harvesting of fruit was carried out at weekly intervals. Half yellow half green stage fruits are being harvested. Since, teasle gourd is new crop for this region; it is proposed to further extend the area to produce more quantity of fruits and standardise the recipes for different products.

‘Bitter gets better’

Dr.S.Ramesh Kumar

Assistant Professor (Horticulture), Kumaraguru Institute of Agriculture, Sakthinagar-638 315,Erode District.

Corresponding author email: rameshamar06@gmail.com