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Adarsh A., Kumari, A., and Gupta S.K (2021) Pointed Gourd cultivation in Diara land for nutritional security and economic prosperity. Food and Scientific Reports. 2 (9) 30-32.

ABSTRACT

Trichosanthes dioica Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae) is a tropical vegetable crop native to the Indian subcontinent. Trichosanthus dioica Roxb is one of the most nutritious and healthiest native vegetables grown in the Diara region of the Lower Ganges Plain in India. The farming of Diarra land or riverbeds is a very old practice in which vegetables are grown on river banks or watersheds after the flood recedes. Because of the long root system, planting prickly pointed gourd close to the diara soil provides a way to meet domestic and export vegetable needs.

Keywords: pointed gourd, diara land, nutritional security

Diara land is a land which is located near river basin of Ganga, Brahmaputra, Kosi, Ghaghara and Saryu. The word diara comes from ‘diya’ which means earthen lamps and the meaning is bowl-like system on the surface situated between natural leaves and on any side of the river. Diara land is associated with two natural calamities i.e. drought and flood. Diara land in bihar is mostly affected by these natural calamities. The area under diara land in bihar is about 0.9 m ha. There is need to create awareness about diara land for cultivation of vegetables and utilizes the subterranean moisture of the riverbed areas, early yield, low cost, high net return/area, less mineral requirement, easy control of disease and pest. Diara is good for cultivation of vegetables having well-developed tap root system. Though a cucurbitaceous vegetable has well developed tap root system and it is suitable for cultivation of diara land. Cucurbiatceous vegetables suitable for cultivation in diara land are main riverbed consisting sand and the crop is bottle gourd and bitter gourd. Cucumber, muskmelon, watermelon, pointed gourd are suited for main diara i.e located on river bed and pointed gourd on upland diara.

                Rainfed and subsistence farming is done in these areas. Pointed gourd cultivation in diara land is most nutritive and wholesome vegetable of river basin of ganga, kosi region of north bihar. Pointed gourd is good source of vitamin a, vitamin c and it has also properties of lowering blood sugar and total cholesterol. The cultivation practices of pointed gourd in diara land given below.

 Pits and trench preparation in pointed gourd cultivation

                Pits prepared after south west monsoon and end of flood situation during October-November. Pits/trench of 45-50cm of diameter having a depth of 80-90cm are prepared by mixing well decomposed fym or oil cakes. Trench are made in such a direction so that it can soil fertility, available moisture and higher temperature. This helps in protection from cold wind and spreading  of grasses over the sand so that it can provide protection from hot summer winds.

 Propagation and sowing method of pointed gourd cultivation

                It can be commercially propagated through vine cutting @ 2000-2500 cutting. It can be sown in November to December. Due to dioecious nature of crop male and female plants are planted in equal proportion. From which only 8-10% male plants are maintained to ensure the source of pollinizer. It can be planted at a spacing of 2.5 x 2.5 m.

 Variety of pointed gourd 

                There are following types of pointed gourd grown in the diara land i.e. dark green,12-13 cm long, long thick dark green with faint stripes and pale green in colour with 10-15cm long and small 5-6cm long dark green. The main varieties are bihar sharif, swarna rekha, swarna alaukik,etc.

 Planting time

                Mid October to December is best planting time for cultivation of pointed gourd.

 Manures and Fertilizer application

                River silt are used to utilize subterranean moisture available in the rooting zone.20 – 30 tonnes of fym/ha should be used at the time of pit preparation whereas fertilizer dose of 100/kg N,70-80kg P₂O₅ and 65-70 kg k₂O/ha.

Irrigation

                Deep root system is important character of Cucurbitaceous crops which helps the plant for good vegetative and reproductive growth in diara land. Sprinkler method of irrigation is most common method of irrigation because of leaching of nutrients applied by most of the farmers.

Training

                Training in pointed gourd is done to produce better quality fruit and higher yield. It can be trained on bower system upto height of 1.5m and about 7500-8000 cuttings/ha with a spacing of 1.5x 1 m plant to plant. Pointed gourd cultivation in diara land requires about 3500-4000 cuttings/ha.

Weed Management

                Main weed found in diara land are Eclipta prostrate, Euphorbia hirta. It can be removed manually or by pulling it from ground. Weedicides application is hazardous because it combine the running water of river which is hazardous to human being.

Disease Management in pointed gourd cultivation

Vine and Fruit Rot

                These infections are viewed as restricting variables in the development of pointed gourd in the Gangetic fields of India, particularly during the stormy season, because of decaying of plants and organic products happen. The manifestation starts from the stylar end of products of the soil broad delicate spoiling with fine mycelial development on natural product surface at later stages. It can be controlled by therapeutic sprays of Metalaxyl 8% and Mancozeb 64% wettable powder both at 0.25% or Metalaxyl 68W.G. at 8–10 day intervals.

Downy Mildew (Pseudoperonospora cubensis)

                The infection showed up in December and got extreme in February-March. Precise sores were restricted by the leaf veins or roundabout to sporadic yellow hued spot created on leaf. At least one spot(s) may be shaped on a solitary leaf. Early spots/sores were light green in appearance which later transform into chlorotic lastly become necrotic as the influenced have plant cells pass on. Advancement of many spot in one leaf and evaporating of sick tissue prompted drying of the whole leaf. It can be controlled by fungicides Krilaxyl Gold (Metalaxyl 8% WP + Mancozeb 64% WP) and Indofil M-45 (Mancozeb 75% WP) were found good in relation to management of Downy mildew disease. Whereas, the fungicides found to have growth reduction effect were Contaf (Hexaconazole 5% EC) and Tilt (Propiconazole 25% EC).

Pest Management  in pointed gourd cultivation

Red bitter beetle

                The episode of this creepy crawly happens among February and April. They feed underside the cotyledonous leaves by bitting openings into them. Percent harm rating progressively diminishes from 70-15% as the leaf covering increments. It can be controlled by spraying carborul@ 1ml/l of water.

 Blister beetle

                These pest are diurnal or show dual cycle. Since grown-ups are gregarious and regularly brilliant, they will in general be prominent. Larval rankle creepy crawlies are only from time to time seen, with the exception of first instar hatchlings (triungulins) frequenting blossoms or sticking to grown-up honey bees. All rankle insect hatchlings are particular hunters. Hatchlings of most genera enter the homes of wild honey bees, where they burn-through both juvenile honey bees and the arrangements of at least one home cells. the rankle creepy crawly of sub-family Tetraonycini and in Nemognathinae are laid under blossoms and bracts or in their host homes. Most meloid hatchlings are predaceous and feed on grasshopper egg cases. In the common type of rankle scarabs, hyper-transformation happens where the hatchling goes through four particular stages prior to entering the pupal stage, for example, triungulin, first grub, coarctate and second grub stage. The pupal stage is moderately brief contrasted with the coarctate stage. Finally, the grown-up arises out from the pupae. It can be controlled by spraying quinalphos or methyl parathion or phosphomidon @ 1ml/l of water.

Harvesting and Fruit Yield

                Pointed gourd cultivation starts flowering after 80 days of transplanting. Fruit can be harvested 15-18 days after fruiting. It can be harvested in the month of march-July. The average yield is 200-300q/ha. Economic yield can be obtained up to 3-4years.

Economics of Pointed gourd

                The total cost involved in pointed gourd cultivation is approx 80,000/ha and the output is approx 590,000. The net income from pointed gourd cultivation is about 510,000/ha.

 Conclusion

 

                Pointed gourd is one of the important cucurbitaceous crops for its nutritional, medicinal importance and for economic prosperity. It provides the 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. The crop also has potential for production in home gardens where it can provide a nutritious vegetable for an extended period.

 

 

 

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