Round Bottle gourd, Ghiya Hybrid Seeds

Bottle gourd   is a vigorous, annual, running or climbing vine with large leaves and a lush appearance. It grows fast and may begin to flower only 2 months after seeding. The vine is branched and climbs by means of tendrils along the stem. The foliage is covered with soft hairs and has a foul musky odor when crushed. The leaves of the bottle gourd are up to 15 inches wide, circular in overall shape, with smooth margins, a few broad lobes, or with undulate margins. Leaves have a velvety texture because of the fine hairs, especially on the undersurface. The bottle gourd flowers are borne singly on the axils of the leaves, the males on long peduncles and the females on short peduncles. The flowers are white and attractive, up to 4 inches in diameter, with spreading petals. The ovary is inferior and in the shape of the fruit. Otherwise, the male and female flowers are similar in appearance. The anthers are borne on short filaments grouped at the center of the flower. The stigmas are short, thickened, and branched. The brownish seeds are numerous in a whitish green pulp. Each seed is somewhat rectangular in shape with grooved notches near the attached end.

Bottle gourd Planting & Care 

Season

january-March and September- October are the ideal seasons. For the rainfed crop, sowing can be started after the receipt of first few showers during May-June .

Varieties

Bio gaurav,warad,8 no,supriya are high yielding varieties.

Seed rate: 5.0-6.0 kglha Spacing: 2.0 m x 2..0 m Sowing

Pits of 60 cm diameter and 30-45 cm depth are taken. Well rotten FYM and fertilizersare mixed with topsoil in the pit and seeds are sown @ 4-5 per pit. Unhealthy plants are removed after two weeks and only 3 plants are retained per pit.

Manuring

Apply FYM @ 20-25 tlha as basal dose along with half dose of N (35 kg) and full doses of PzOs (25 kg) and KzO (25 kg). The

remaining dose of N (35 kg) can be applied in several split doses at fortnightly intervals:

Aftercultivation

During the initial stages of growth, irrigate at 3-4 days interval, and alternate days during flowering/fruiting. Irrigation at 15 mm. CPE (approximately at 3 days interval for sandy loam soils) is more economical than irrigating once in two days especially during summer months for. water economy.

Erect pandals when the plants start vining. Conduct weeding and raking of the soil at the time of fertilizer application. Earthing up is done during rainy season.

Pests

Fruit fly (Dacus cucurbitae)

Apply carbaryl 10% DP in pit before sowing of seeds to destroy the pupae. In homestead gardens the fruits may be covered with

polythene, cloth or paper bags to ensure mechanical protection. In large gardens

apply carbaryl 20-25 gm or malathion 30-40ml in 15 litre of water containing sugar or jaggery at 10 gll at fortnightly intervals at flowering and fruit initiation. Spray as coarse droplets on the ventral surface of leaves. Remove and destroy affected and decayed fruits.

Epilachna beetle

Remove and destroy egg masses, grubs and adults occurring on leaves. Spray carbaryl 20 -25 gm per 15 litre of water .

Red pumpkin beetle

Adult beetle eats the leaves, makes hole on foliage and causes damage on roots and leaves. Incorporate carbaryl 10% DP in pits. before sowing the seeds to destroy grubs and pupae.