Study funded by DBT project on ‘Collection, Conservation, Taxonomy, Diversity,

Cytology, Molecular Characterization and Nutritional analysis of Momordica

subangulata Blume subsp. subangulata and other edible species of Momordica L.

From Northeast India’

Joseph John. K., Suma A., Alfia M.A., Harish G.D.*, L.K. Bharathi**, Berin Pathrose***, Suresh Kumar****, Thirumalaisamy P.P., K. Pradheep, M. Latha *ICAR-NBPGR, Regional Station, Shillong, Meghalaya **Central Horticultural Experiment Station, Chettalli, Karnataka ***College of Horticulture, Kerala Agricultural University, Thrissur, Kerala ****Progressive farmer, Kalarcod, Alappuzha

Teasel gourd, also called ‘Kantola’ and

Assam Kakrol (Momordica subangulata

subsp. renigera (G.Don) de Wilde) is a semi-

domesticated vegetable, native to Assam-

Myanmar region. Bangladesh is the leading

producer and export the fresh produce to

Middle East countries. In India, it is cultivated

commercially in Eastern and North Eastern

states mainly Odisha, West Bengal, Assam,

Tripura and to a small extent in Andaman

Islands. It is a homegarden vegetable in all

North Eastern states. Its cultivation needs to be

popularized in nontraditional areas due to its

nutritional richness combined with high

consumer acceptability and adaptability to

high rainfall humid tropical regions.

Compared to its close wild relative, M. diocia

(Erumappaval/spine gourd); it has bigger fruit

size, extended harvest period, efficient

vegetative propagation, higher yield and is

more amenable to commercial cultivation.

Land preparation and Planting

Kantola thrives very well in tropical

humid climate. It can tolerate high rainfall and

low sunshine hours prevalent in southern

Western Ghats and west coast during South

West monsoon season. Well drained deep

alluvial soils are the best, even though sandy

loams and well worked out laterite soils are

also good. A temperature range of 25-340 C

during the crop period of 5-6 months and high

humidity are ideal. Soil pH should be regulated

by liming before planting.

Sprouted plantlets maybe planted with

the onset of pre-monsoon showers in March-

April (extendable to May end) or for an

offseason crop under assured irrigation in

October- November. Soil should be tilled to a

depth of 30 cm and levelled. About 150g lime

powder may be sprinkled around each planting

pit and allowed to wash down through soil

(give an irrigation after liming or leave aside

for10 days/expose to rain for leaching out).

Pits of 60 x 60 x 60 cm size may be dug at a

spacing of 1.5 x 1.5 m. Pits may be filled with

about 5 Kg well rotten Farmyard manure and

top soil. About 500 g bone meal may be

applied as basal dose along with 250g neem

cake. In root knot nematode infested soil, a

light burning of the dugout pits with dry leaves

is good for control of nematodes. Planting can

be done in pots and grow bags also. Containers

with a capacity to hold about 10-15 Kg potting

mixture are ideal.

Cultivars/ varieties

Being a semi-domesticated crop,

varietal improvement is at its infant stage.

Nevertheless ICAR-IIHR recommended

varieties and cultivars like Arka Gaurav, Arka

Neelachal Shanthi (Hybrid), Arka Bharath

Ready to transplant plantlets

collection number: JB/11-173, and NBPGR.T.

hybrid.1 (IC597084 X IC553771) are good

yielders of which the latter three have bigger

fruit size (110-135 g) and prolific bearing.

Propagation

Kantola is a dioecious vine with both

sexual and vegetative mode of reproduction.

For optimum female to male ratio and uniform

behavior, vegetative propagules are preferred.

Tubers have a natural dormancy and 2-3

months after senescence, they can be

excavated. An average plant produces over 25-

35 adventitious tubers of 60–80g on

stoloniferous roots. Tuber pieces and stolon

cuttings may be sprouted in portrays before

transplanting to fields. Cut tuber pieces should

be treated with 2% Dithane M-45 and shade

dried before keeping for sprouting.

Aftercare

Kantola is a fast grower and tuber raised

plants comes to flowering within 35-40 days

and first harvest can be taken within 52-55

days. Yield can be increased considerably by

adopting drip irrigation, fertigation and

mulching. It cannot tolerate waterlogging but

needs assured water supply for continuous

flowering and fruiting. Paddy straw, plated

coconut leaves or polythene mulching sheets

can be used to prevent weed growth and

conserve soil moisture. Foliar spray of fish

amino acid @ 3ml/L in weekly intervals will

enhance growth and flowering.

Training

Being a weak stemmed tendrillar

climber, it needs a pandal or bower system for

optimum spread of vines. Dried tree branches

or bamboo tops are ideal for grow bag

cultivation and home gardens. For

convenience of hand pollination pandal

breadth should be less than 1.5m and at breast

height with walking space between rows.

Single line trellies of nylon net and angular

iron/ wooden poles extending the whole length

of the bed and of 1.5m width and 1.5-1.8m

height are ideal for commercial plots.

Adventitious root tubers

Arka Bharath NBPGR.T. hybrid.1

(IC597084 X IC553771)

Male plant trailed to vertical support

Pollination management

In the absence of its specific pollinators

outside its home range, female flowers needs

assured hand pollination for enhanced fruit set.

Natural pollination rate outside North East

India is between 10- 20%. A few male plants

may be raised on staggered dates in a corner of

the field and male flowers handpicked and

stamens touched/rubbed to the receptive

stigmas preferably before noon for assured

fruit set. Surplus pollen may be stored under

refrigeration in air tight containers for

pollination on next day. In humid wet climate,

stigma receptivity extends to 24 hours from

anthesis and become receptive 12 hours before

anthesis.

Harvesting and marketing

Yield may vary from place to place

depending upon soil fertility and climatic

conditions. On an average a healthy vine yields

between 10-12 kg (>20kg) tender fruits in a

span of 4 months. Fruits are harvested 10-12

days after pollination, when they are still green

and tender. Delayed harvest leads to

progressive orange coloration of fruits and

hardening of seeds, making it unappealing to

consumers. Regular picking of fruits at 3 days

interval promote new flowering and more

yield. Harvested tender fruits remain fresh for

2-3 days in moist and shady conditions and up

to a week under refrigeration. Tender fruits can

be cooked as vegetable according to local

preference. It can also be pickled, canned or

brined. Surplus can be sliced and dehydrated

or sundried for preparing value added

products. Fruits are cooked the same way as

bitter gourd replacing it in recipes. Cooked

fruit is non bitter and with bitter gourd/ spine

gourd like flavour. Fruits are nutritionally very

high, rich in vitamins, minerals and essential

amino acids.

Nutritional values

Proximate nutrient composition of M.

subangulata subsp. renigera

Component Content

Moisture (%) 89.87 ± 0.08b

Protein (g/100g) 1.69 ± 0.05b

Total fat (g/100g) 1.00 ± 0.03a

Total sugar (g/100g) 9.17 ± 0.03b

Reducing sugar (g/100g) 5.50 ± 0.02c

Starch (g/100g) 8.25 ± 0.04ab

Mineral content of M. subangulata subsp.

renigera

Component Content

P (%) 0.37 ± 0.13a

K(%) 2.30 ± 0.21a

Ca (%) 0.12 ± 0.05ab

Mg (%) 0.10 ± 0.07b

Fe (ppm) 119.80 ± 0.07a

Mn (ppm) 33.90 ± 0.77b

Cu(ppm) 10.80 ± 0.07a

Zn(ppm) 32.30 ± 0.04b

It also contain small quantities of essential

nutrients like ascorbic acid, carotene, thiamin,

riboflavin, niacin and Selenium.

Male flower and

anther lobes

(inset)

Female flower

Pests and diseases

Teasel gourd is susceptible to many pests

and diseases which can be controlled through

application of locally made bioformulations.

Root knot nematode, epilachna beetle, and

fruit fly are the important pests affecting yield/

marketability.

Cucumber moth

Young bright green larva initially

scrapes the chlorophyll content. Later it folds

and webs the leaves and feed within. It also

feeds on flowers and bores into the developing

fruits. The early stage caterpillars should be

handpicked and destroyed. Spraying of 5%

neem seed kernel extract can also effectively

manage the caterpillar. In case of heavy

infestation spray chlorantraniliprole 18.50 SC

@ 3 ml/10 lit of water or Bt @ 2 ml/liter of

water.

Fruit fly

Maggots of this insect feed on tender

fruits resulting in distorted and malformed

fruits. The infested fruits should be collected

and destroyed by burying deep in the soil or by

immersing in boiling water. For trapping the

adult flies cue lure pheromone traps may be

used. Pheromone traps @ one trap/15 cents

should be installed in the pandal once the

flowering initiates. Tender fruits may be

wrapped in paper bags or polythene bags to

prevent egg laying by fruitfly. Drenching the

basins with Beauveria bassiana can prevent

the emergence of pupae. If the infestation is

severe malathion @ 2 ml/litre may be sprayed

after adding 10 g jaggery to the spray solution.

Spotted/Epilachna beetle

Scrapping of chlorophyll, skeletonization

and drying of leaves are the typical symptoms.

The egg mass, grubs and adults can be easily

identified and can be manually collected and

destroyed. It may be controlled by weekly

spray of organic decoctions like cow urine

with bird eye chilli (25g) diluted in 10 L water.

Yeast traps kept in coconut shells also controls

the pest effectively.

Red pumpkin beetle

Adult beetles eat the foliage leaving

holes in the foliage. Addition of 50-100 g neem

cake in the basin will effectively manage the

beetles.

Jassids

Nymphs and adults of jassids suck sap

from the under surface of leaves. Marginal

yellowing of the leaves is the initial symptom

and later the entire leaves become yellow due

Epilachna beetle and maggot feeding on leaves

Fruit fly damage on fruit

to the insect infestation. Spraying of 2% neem

oil garlic emulsion at the initial stages can

control the pest. If the insect infestation is

severe imidacloprid 17.8 SL (confidor) may be

sprayed @ 3 ml/10 L.

Scale insect

At a later stage of growth scales infest

stems and leads to drying up/death of plants.

Imidachloprid 17.8 SL (confidor) @ 3ml/10 L

may be sprayed to affected stem parts.

Root knot nematode

Root system of the nematode infested

plant is heavily knotted and growth of vines is

severely arrested.

The leaves appear yellow and leaf size is

reduced and majority of the veins become dry

and wither. Root system progressively

degenerates and ratoon cropping is affected.

Application of neem cake (500g), and

Paecilomyces lilacinus (10g) per pit as basal

application with Farmyard manure is effective

in reducing the severity of the infestation. A

second dose of P. lilacinus @ 10g/pit at 40

DAP may be applied to reduce infestation.

Crop rotation after two years should be

followed. Soil application of Pochonia is also

effective in reducing soil inoculum.

Incorporation of Cartap @ 5-10 g per pit may

be done leaving collar region.

Downey mildew

The symptoms of pale green areas

separated by dark green areas appear on upper

surface of leaf. Under humid conditions,

corresponding lower surface of yellowish

areas is covered with faint purple fungal

growth. The affected leaf dries up quickly. Use

of bed system with wide spacing and good

drainage, air movement and exposure to sun,

help to check the disease development. Spray

mancozeb 0.2% or curzate 0.3% or

chlorothalonil 0.2% or ridomil (metalaxyl +

mancozeb MZ 0.1%) if the disease is severe.

Attack of scale insects

Downy mildew symptoms on leaves

Root knot nematode attack on roots

Anthracnose

The diagnostic features of anthracnose

are sunken, elongated stem cankers. Large

lesions girdle the stems and cause the vines to

wilt. Foliage affected by anthracnose appears

scorched. Treatment with carbendazim 2g/kg

of seed tubers and spray of mancozeb 2g or

carbendazim 0.5g/lit are recommended.

Fusarium wilt

The disease causes wilting and chlorosis

(yellowing) of older leaves which is most

evident during the hottest period of the day.

Plants appear to recover by morning, only to

wilt again in the afternoon. Stem cracks and

brown streaks often appear near the crown of

the plant, associated with a red- brown

exudate. Fusarium wilt also causes vascular

browning that is visible in stem cross- sections.

Methods to reduce Fusarium populations in

the soil include summer ploughing of severely

infested fields, crop rotation with

noncucurbitaceous crops etc. Application of

Trichoderma enriched FYM at the time of

planting can reduce the disease incidence. If

the disease is severe drench the basins with

carbendazim + mancozeb 0.2%.

General recommendations for organic

cultivation of teasel gourd

As the plants pick up growth, apply 250g

neem cake and about 2kg rice husk to the basin

and incorporate in the soil by raking

(prophylatic measure against root knot

nematode) which may be followed by

drenching the basin once in a month with neem

cake soaked water. For continued flowering

and heavy yield, monthly application of 5L

slurry made of organic manures like 1kg each

of groundnut cake, neem cake, castor cake,

bone meal and 5Kg fresh cow dung, fermented

for 5 days and then diluted 10 times with water

is recommended by innovative farmers. A

herbal pesticide made of neem oil, garlic, bird

eye chilli and bar soap may be given as foliar

spray for general insect pest control.

Ripe fruit pulp and rind are rich source

of β carotene and lycopene. Tender leaves and

clippings are excellent vegetables. Sprouts

also can be cooked and eaten.

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© 2021 ICAR-NBPGR

Published by:

ICAR-NBPGR Regional Station, Thrissur-680656, Kerala

Email: NBPGR.Thrissur@icar.gov.in Phone: +91-487-2370499/ 2372589

Compiled & edited by: Joseph John K, M Latha, M Abdul Nizar, A Suma & R Asokan Nair