Effect of Cultivation Method and Plant Density on Bitter Gourd in Egypt

Author : Walid M. A. Moghith

Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae and it is an untraditional and new medicinal crop in Egypt. This study aimed to determine the best cultivation methods (traditional cultivation on terraces and climbing as vertical training) and three plant densities (5000, 10000, and 15000 plant/fed.) under the conditions of the Ras Sudr region, Egypt, during 2021-2022 seasons. Our results illustrated that the cultivation method as a climber plant (as vertical training) was the best compared with the other method on terraces (as horizontal traditional cultivation). The plant density at 1000 plant/fed. score the best values of most characters. The climber plant (as vertical training) combined with plant density at 10000 and 15000 plant/fed. gave the height values, especially the economic yield of fruit in both seasons, respectively. Also, the best-recorded data on phytochemical components phenolic, flavonoid, terpenoids, alkaloids, and saponins were obtained when bitter gourd was cultivated as vertical training at 15000 plant/fed. as plant density.

Keywords : Bitter gourd, Momordica charantia, cultivation method, plant density, Cucurbitaceae,

Received:11/25/2022 12:00:00 AM; Accepted: 12/20/2022 12:00:00 AM