The pointed gourd is a nutritive yet highly popular vegetable that grows pan India. This tropical vegetable is a high source of vitamins. Moreover, it adds great flavor when cooked alone or in combination with other vegetables.
These green-colored vegetables are highly useful for controlling cholesterol and sugar levels. In addition, they are a great source of purifying blood, keeping the heart healthy, and reducing common cold or flu symptoms.
Interested in growing this nutritive yet delicious tropical vegetable? Gather your John Deere 5105 tractor, as we are about to share the best cultivation tips for pointed gourds in India.
Tips to Sow, Grow & Harvest High-Quality Pointed Gourd
- Soil Requirement
Sandy loam to clay soil with good water-draining capabilities & ph level between 6..0 to 6.5 is ideal for pointed gourd cultivation. Furthermore, light alluvial soil is suitable for this vegetable’s cultivation. However, heavy soils are not suitable for this crop’s cultivation.
- Climate Conditions
For optimum growth & yield, make sure to keep the temperature ranging between 30-35 degree Celsius. This is a perennial plant that grows best in hot & humid weather. However, extreme frost to cold conditions must be avoided. The best time for cultivating this crop would be dry tropical weather right after the monsoon.
- Land Preparation
Perform tillage and harrowing at least 2-3 times until the soil reaches a fine tilth. Moreover, applying 20-25 tonnes of well-rotted farmyard manure per hectare of land helps increase soil fertility. Adding this will help yield vegetables of the highest quality. Using optimum hp tractors like John Deere 5205 with premium quality harrowing and ploughing implements can help achieve the finest tilth.
- Planting & Spacing
The ideal dimensions for pointed gourd planting are 1.5-2 meters X 1.5-3 meters. However, this planting distance would vary or depend on the training methods of vines.
- Propagation in pointed gourd cultivation
You can propagate pointed gourds either through vine cuttings or root suckers. Since germination is poor for this vegetable’s cultivation, seed propagation is not the best method. Moreover, the difficulty of finding gender in flowers makes it difficult to perform seed propagation.
- Irrigation Requirement
The first irrigation should be planned immediately after planting. Further irrigations should be done after a gap of 3-4 days. However, note that your irrigation schedule will depend on the soil type and moisture level in the soil.
During the flowering & fruiting stage, irrigate the field on alternate days. Doing this will help you achieve quality fruit & vegetable production. You can stop irrigating the field once the rainy season approaches. And if heavy rains or flooding occur in the field, create channels to draw excess water from the field.
- Manure & Fertilisers
Adding 20-25 tonnes of well-rotted farmyard manure during land preparation is highly recommended. The fertilizer schedule should be as:
- For top dressing, 60-80 kg of nitrogen
- 40 kg of phosphorus (P205)
- 40-50 kg potassium per hectare
- Harvesting & Yield
These crops become ready to harvest within 120-140 days from transplanting. Usually, it begins in February and continues till the month of September.
The yield of the pointed gourd will depend on the type you are growing, the field type, and the crop management. However, the average yield achievable from the parwal (pointed gourd) cultivation is 15-20 tonnes per hectare. These nutritious vegetables are highly suitable to transport to local markets.
Local Names for Pointed Gourd
Pointed Gourd is known by different local languages/areas of the country:
- Pointed Gourd (English)
- Parwal/Parval (Hindi)
- Paraval (Marathi & Gujarathi)
- Patol (Bengali & Assamese)
- Kommu Potla/Chedu Potla (Telugu)
- Kambupudalai (Tamil)
- Patolam (Malyalam)
- Kaadu Padaval /Kadu Padavala Kayi (Kannada)
Are there any pests & diseases in Pointed Gourds?
The crop will likely become infested with pests such as Epilachna beetle, red pumpkin beetle, fruit flies, etc. Moreover, root-knot nematode, fruit rot, mosaic, and downy mildew are common diseases in pointed gourds.
How to Control Weed in Pointed Gourd Cultivation?
Hoeing in the initial growth stage can restrict the development of weeds. Moreover, it can help preserve soil moisture and achieve more aeration near the root area. You can go for manual or mechanical weeding control methods to remove weeds.
In flatbed cultivation, removing wedding can be difficult during rainy and summer seasons due to long crop duration & trailing habits. You can spray herbicides like Gramaxon (1.0% of a.i) per hectare, followed by mulching to prevent weeds and ensure a high yield. However, do this step right after the shoot emerges.
Conclusion!
Sowing, growing & harvesting for pointed gourds is quite an easy and profitable deal for Indian farmers. While maintaining optimum weather, soil, fertiliser and other agro-conditions, achieving quality vegetables is very much possible.
Moreover, agro-conditions alone won’t be responsible for attaining the highest quality vegetables. Using good quality tractors like John Deere 5405, followed by farming implements for harrowing, ploughing, tillage, and seeding is also equally important.
Frequently Asked Questions on Pointed Gourd
- How much does it cost to cultivate Guard?
Ans. You can expect the cost to cultivate pointed gourd as Rs 80,000/ha and get the output up to Rs 590,000.
- Which states popularly produce pointed gourd in India?
Ans. Chattisgarh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh are India’s leading producers of the pointed gourd.
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