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INTRODUCTION |
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BOTTLE
GOURD IS A VERY IMPORTANT VEGETABLE CROP IN INDIA AND BELONGS TO
CUCURBITACEAE FAMILY. THE VEGETABLE IN GREEN STAGE AND LEAVES WITH STEM ARE
USED AS VEGETABLE. THE HARD SHELL OF THE BOTTLE GOURD IS USED FOR DIFFERENT
PURPOSE |
CLIMATIC CONDITION
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BOTTLE
GOURD REQUIRES HOT AND MOIST CLIMATE FOR ITS CULTIVATION. THIS VEGETABLE
CANNOT WITHSTAND FROST. |
SUITABLE SOIL AND IT’S PREPARATION
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BOTTLE
GOURD CAN BE GROWN IN WIDE RANGE OF SOILS. BUT IT THRIVES WELL IN SANDY LOAM
SOILS. THE LAND OR MAIN FIELD SHOULD BE PREPARED THOROUGHLY BY SIX TO SEVEN
PLOUGHINGS AND PH RANGE IN SOIL SHOULD BE FROM 6.5 TO 7.5 IN BOTTLE GOURD
CULTIVATION. THIS VEGETABLE REQUIRES GOOD DRAINAGE. ADDING ORGANIC MATTER OR
FARM YIELD MANURE (FMY) WILL MAKE SOIL RICH SO THAT BETTER YIELD WITH QUALITY
VEGETABLE CAN BE EXPECTED. |
PROPAGATION OF BITTER GOURD FARMING
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PROPAGATION
IS THROUGH DIRECT SEEDING AND TRANSPLANTING. |
TIME OF BOTTLE GOURD SOWING AND LAYOUT
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THE
BOTTLE GOURD SEED IS SOWN FROM JUNE TO JULY FOR MONSOON OR RAINY CROPS IN THE
PLAINS AND APRIL IN THE HILLS. JANUARY TO END OF FEBRUARY FOR SUMMER CROPS.
LAYOUT IS BASIN AND RING USED. |
SEED RATE
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NORMALLY
THE SEED RATE FOR BOTTLE GOURD FARMING IS 3.5 KGTO 6 KG/ HA. |
IRRIGATION/WATER SUPPLY
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IRRIGATE
THE BASINS BEFORE DIBBLING THE SEEDS AND THEREAFTER ONCE A WEEK.INSTALL DRIP
SYSTEM WITH MAIN AND SUB-MAIN PIPES AND PLACE THE INLINE LATERAL TUBES AT AN
INTERVAL OF 1.5M. PLACE THE DRIPPERS IN LATERAL TUBES AT AN INTERVAL OF 60 CM
AND 50 CM SPACING WITH 4LPH AND 3.5 LPH CAPACITIES RESPECTIVELY. |
SEED TREATMENT
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BOTTLE
GOURD SEEDS SHOULD BE TREATED WITH PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS 10 GRAMS OR
TRICHODERMA VIRIDE 4 GRAMS OR CARBENDAZIM 2 G RAMS/KG OF SEEDS BEFORE SOWING. |
METHODS OF SOWING AND SPACING
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THE
VEGETABLE SEED IS SOWN BY DIBBLING METHOD AT SPACING OF 2 M TO 3 X 1.0 M TO
1.5 M. GENERALLY TWO TO THREE SEEDS ARE SOWN IN A PIT AT 2.5 CM TO 3.0 CM
DEPTH. |
INTERCULTURAL OPERATION
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TWO
TO THREE HOEING IS GIVEN TO CONTROL THE WEEDS DURING THE EARLY STAGE OF
BOTTLE GOURD GROWTH. THE MONSOON OR RAINY SEASON CROP IS NORMALLY STALKED,
OFTEN TRAINED ON A BOWER MADE OF BAMBOOS AND STICKS. |
MANURE AND FERTILIZERS
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APPLY
10 KG OF FARM YARD MANURE (20 TON/HA), 100 GRAMS OF NPK 6:12:12 MIXTURE / PIT
AS BASAL AND 10 GRAMS OF N / PIT 30 DAYS AFTER SOWING. APPLICATION OF
AZOSPIRILLUM AND PHOSPHOBACTERIA 2 KG / HA AND PSEUDOMONAS 3 KG / HA ALONG
WITH FARM YARD MANURE 50 KG AND NEEM CAKE OF100 KG BEFORE LAST PLOUGHING IS
REQUIRED. |
HARVESTING AND YIELD
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DRIP
IRRIGATION IS MOST ADVANTAGEOUS IN THE BOTTLE GOURD CULTIVATION. THE SUMMER
CROP REQUIRES FREQUENT WATERING AT AN INTERVAL OF 3 TO 4 DAYS. THE WINTER
CROP IS IRRIGATED AS AND WHEN NEEDED. USUALLY RAINY SEASON CROP DOES NOT
REQUIRE IRRIGATION. |
HARVESTING
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THE VEGETABLES SHOULD
BE HARVESTED WHEN THEY ARE STILL GREEN. DELAY IN HARVESTING CAUSES THE BOTTLE
GOURD TO BECOME ROTTEN OR DRIED. HEALTHY BOTTLE GOURD CAN BE KEPT ON PLANT
UNTIL IT DRIES FOR PREPARING THE SEEDLING FOR NEXT CROP. |
YIELD
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THE AVERAGE YIELD
OF 100 TO 120 QUINTAL / HA CAN BE EXPECTED. |