Cucurbitaceous

vegetables
Cucurbits
• Cucurbits term- Coined by Dr. L.
Bailey
• by seed except for Pointed gourd,
Ivy gourd and Chow-chow
• Bitter principle-
Cucurbitacins
• Richer in Methionine than
legumes
• Cucumis and Cucurbita-
unsaturated fatty acids
(Oleic acid and linoleic
acid).
Cucumber:
•Cucumis sativus
•2n=2x=14
•Origin- India
•Thermophilic crop (18-24 )

•First sequenced vegetable

crop.

•Pre-dominant sex form-

Monoecious
Seed rate:
• 2.5-4 kg/ha
 AVG (Aminoethoxy-vinyl glycine)
• induce male flowers only.

AgNO3 (Silver nitrate)

Male & bisexual flowers in gynoecious lines.

Ethrel
 increase number of female flowers.
Varieties:
• Introduced varieties:
• Japanese Long green
• Straight-8

• Other specific varieties:

• Pusa Uday: Throughout year
• Pusa Barkha: Extra early variety
• Phule Shubangi: Poinsette × Kalyanpur
Ageti

• First gynoecious F1 Hybrid in India:

• Pusa Sanyog = Japanese gynoecious line ×
Green Long Naples
Physiological disorder:
•Pillow:
•Ca deficiency
•An abnormal white
styrofoam like porous
textured tissue is formed
in the mesocarp of the
fleshy harvested fruits.
Muskmelon:
Wholesome food/ Kharbooz
Cucumis melo
2n= 2x = 24
Origin- Tropical Africa
Seed rate: 2-3 kg/ha and
Dibbling method- 1 kg/ha
Immature melons (pickling)
 Mature melons (Fresh
consumption)

 Climacteric fruit
Edible portion of melons contain
water 90% and CHO 10%
Ideal for sugar accumulation:
Cool nights and warm
weather
High quality melons should
have TSS: 12-15% or more.
Harvested at full slip stage
Long distance – Half slip
stage
 Varieties of muskmelon:
Varieties/Hybrid Remark

IIHR varieties
Arka jeet High TSS variety
Arka Rajhans For transport
IARI varieties
Pusa Madhuras -
Pusa Sharbati -
Pusa Madhurima -
Pusa Sarda Suitable for net-house under north Indian plains
IIVR Varieties:

Kashi Madhu - Long storage capacity

Punjab Raseela Phoot x Indian cultivar Moderately resistant to downy mildew

Punjab Sunehri Hara Madhu x Edisto -

Hisar Madhur - -

Hara Madhu - Don't slip stage at maturity

Durgapura Madhu - -

Jobner 96-2 - -

F1 Hybrid:

Pusa Rasraj M-3 x Durgapura Madhu Utilization of monoecious line

Punjab Hybrid MS-1 x Hara Madhu 1st F1 hybrid

Watermelon:
 Food for 22nd century/common
man fruit:
 Botanical name: Citrullus lanatus
 Chromosome no: 2n = 2x =22
 Origin: Tropical Africa
 The watermelon fruit contains
93% water.
Seed rate: 3-5 kg/ha
Triploid watermelon was
develoed by japan scientist Dr.
Kihara (1951)
Among cucurbit, 1st hybrid
developed in watermelon
White heart is the
physiological disorder
commonly found in Indian
varieties.
 Varieties of Watermelon:
Varieties Breeding method Features

Asahi Yomato Introduced from japan -

Sugar Baby Introduced from USA -

New Hampshire Midget Introduced form USA Suitable variety for home garden

Durgapura Meetha Selection from local cultivar -

Durgapur Kesar Selection from local type Yellow fleshed variety

Durgapura Lal Sugar Baby X K-3 Unlobed leaf marker

IIHR Varieties:
Varieties Breeding method Features
Arka Akash - -
Arka Manik IIHR-21 X Crimson sweet Resistance to anthracnose and
powdery mildew

F1 Hybrid:
Arka Jyoti IIHR-20 X Crimson sweet -

Arka Madhura Triploid seedless Suitable for year-round

production under protected
condition

Arka Aishwarya - -
Pusa Bedana (2n = 33) Tetra-2 (4x) X Pusa Rasal (2x) Triploid (3x) seedless watermelon
Round melon:
Round melon: Citrullus
vulgaris var. fistulosus
Chromosome no.: 2n =
2x = 24
Origin: India
Round melon is also known
as squash melon or Indian
squash or Tinda
Economic part: Immature
fruits
Round melon is useful for
cough and improving blood
circulation
MH is the most
effective PGR which
enhances femaleness in
tinda
Tinda fruit is harvested
at tender stage
Variety: Arka Tinda,
Pusa Raunak (New
variety)
Bittergourd:
 Balsam pear/Bitter
Melon
 B.N.: Momordica
charantia
 Chromosome no.: 2n =
2x = 22
 Bitter gourd fruits are rich source of iron
(2mg/100g)
 Cheratin- cucurbitacin like alkaloids':
Antidiabetic property present in fruits
 Seed protein- Ricine (anti-HIV)
 Progenitor of bittergourd: Momordica
charantia var. abbreviate
 Seed rate: 4.5-6 kg/ha
 Varieties of bitter gourd:
Varieties Remarks

Pusa Aushadhi New variety

Pusa Purve Small Bittergourd variety

Pusa Rasdar Suitable for protected structure

Pusa Do Mausami Suitable for spring summer and rainy seasons

Pusa vishesh Suitable for pickling and dehydration

Arka Harit -

Arka Anupama -
Varieties Remarks

Priyanka White colour variety

Preethi White colour variety

Konkan Tara Long shelf life and export variety

Phule Green Gold Tolerant to downy mildew

MDU-1 Mutant variety

CMB-12 Anti-diabetic variety

 BOTTLE GOURD:
 Bottle gourd/ white flowered Gourd
 B.N.: Lagenaria siceraria
 Chromosome no: 2n = 2x = 22
 Origin: Africa and India
 Varieties of bottle gourd:
Varieties Breeding methods Special features
IARI Variety:
Pusa Summer Prolific Long (PSPL) - Suitable for both summer and kharif
seasons
Pusa Summer prolific Round (PSPR) - Suitable for both summer and kharif
seasons
Pusa Sandesh - -
Pusa Samridhi Non-crook neck -
variety
Pusa Santushti Pear shaped fruits Suitable for throughout the year, Hot
and cold set variety
Pusa Naveen Non-crook neck Suitable for packing for long distance
variety transportation
Varieties Breeding Special features
methods
Samart - -
Pant sankar Lauki 1 - -

IIVR Varieties:
Kashi Bahar - Long fruited hybrid
Kashi Ganga IC-92465 x DVBG-151 Early variety

F1 Hybrid
Pusa Meghdoot PSPL x Sel. 2 Suitable for summer and rainy seasons

Pusa Manjari PSPR x Sel. 11 Suitable for summer and rainy seasons

Pusa Hybrid -3 Pusa Naveen x sel P-8 Suitable for easy packing and long
distance transportation
SNAKE GOURD:
 Cucumber of the southern
barbarians
 B.N.: Trichosanthes cucumerina
 Chromosome No: 2n = 2x = 24
 Origin: India
 Flower colour: White
POINTED GOURD:
 King of gourds/Parwal
 B.N. Trichosanthes dioica
 Chromosome no: 2n = 2x = 24
 Origin: India (Primary centre of
origin: Bengal-Assam area)
Dioecious, perennial climbing
or trailing habit
Salicylic acid enhanced post-
harvest life of fruits
IIVR Variety: Kashi Alankar
Commercial propagation by
stem cuttings
Cuttings prequirement: 2000-
2500 cuttings/ha
 ASH Gourd:
Wax gourd/Hairy melon/Winter Melon/,
Ash Pumpkin/White Pumpkin/Chinese
Preserving melon//White Gourd

B.N.: Benincasa hispida

Chromosome no.: 2n = 2x =24

Origin: Japan and
Java
Monoecious annual
climber
Ash gourd is good
for people suffering
from weak nervous
system.
Varieties:

 Pusa Ujjwal: Ideal variety

for petha preparation

 Mudliar is a variety of
ashgourd
 LUFFA GOURDS:
 Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica)

 Ridge gourd (Luffa acutangula)

 Chr. Number: 2n = 2x = 26

 Origin: India
 Gelatinous compound present
in Luffa is called as
"Luffein"
 Flower colour of sponge
gourd: Deep yellow at
morning hours
 Flower colour of ridge
gourd: Pale yellow at
evening hours
Varieties of ridge gourd and sponge gourd:

Ridge gourd Sponge gourd

Pusa Nutan Pusa Chikni
Pusa Nasdar Pusa Supriya
Arka Sumeet Pusa Sneha
PKM-1-Induced mutant Phule Prajakta
Punjab Sadabahar
Satputia-Hermaphrodite variety
Konkan Harita
PUMPKIN
 Cucurbita moschata

 Chromosome no: 2n = 2x = 40

 Origin: Tropical America

 Pumpkin festival celebrated in

USA
Yerusseri- prepared from
immature fruits of
pumpkin.
Flowers of pumpkin are
more nutritive than fruits.
Male and female parent
can be grown in 1:3 ratio.
SQUASHES
 Summer squash (Ornamental/
Bushy cucurbits): Cucurbita pepo

 Winter Squash: Cucurbita maxima

 Chromosome no: 2n = 2x = 40

 Origin: Tropical America

CHOW-CHOW:
B.N.: Sechium edule
Only single seeded
vegetable.
Viviparous germination
habit
Common name of tomato is?

1. Eggplant
2. Wolf apple
3. Poor
• Poor man’s
man’s orange
orange
4. All of these
Pear shaped variety of tomato is?

•Punjab chhuhara
• Punjab chhuhara

•Pusa Red Plum

•Improved Meeruti
•Pusa Early Dwarf
Solanum pimpinellifolium is commonly
known as ?

•Pear Tomato
•Upright Tomato
•Currant tomato
• Currant Tomato

•Potato leaf type

Non-climacteric mutant of tomato?

•Nor
• Nor

•Inr
•Nri
•Orn
Indeterminate type of tomato is
suitable for?

• Open fields
• Processing purpose • Greenhouse
• Greenhouse
• All of these
Origin place for Cucumber is?

• South America
• Ethiopia • India
• India
• Tropical America
Ancestor of Cucumber is?

• Cucumis sativus
• Cucumis metuliferus • Cucumis
• Cucumis anguria hardwickii
• Cucumis hardwickii
Bitterness in Cucumber is due to?

• Momordicin
• Cucurbitacin • Cucurbitacin
• Oleic acid
• Linoleic acid
Food for 22nd century is?

• Musk melon
• Snap melon • Water melon
• Water melon
• Long melon
King of gourds is?

• Bottle gourd
• Bitter gourd • Pointed gourd
• Sponge gourd
• Pointed gourd
Agra Petha is made from?

• Muskmelon
• Squashes • Ash gourd
• Pumpkin
• Ash gourd
Which of the following is ornamental
cucurbit?

• Ash gourd
• Pointed gourd • Squashes
• Pumpkin
• Squashes
Single seeded fruit among cucurbits?

• Parwal
• Chow chow • Chow chow
• Squashes
• Little gourd