GIRMELYN C.

TAGRA
License Agriculturist and Practitioner
 GIRMELYN C. TAGRA
License Agriculturist and Practitioner
TRIVIA
 GIRMELYN C. TAGRA
Agriculturist and Practitioner
BS Agriculture Major in Agronomy
UP Los Banos 2003

“GEM”
Bittergourd or ampalaya (Momordica
charantia L.) belongs to the family
Cucurbitaceae along with cucumber,
squash, watermelon and muskmelon.
Bitter gourd is a green-skinned vegetable
with white to translucent flesh and a taste
that fits its name.
Unless you grew up with bitter gourd as
part of your regular diet, it might take you
a while to warm up to the bitter flavor.
Bitter gourd is also a vegetable of
many names. It is equally known
as bitter melon, bitter cucumber,
balsam-pear, bitter apple, or bitter
squash.
This vegetable is also called karela
in India, nigauri in Japan, goya in
Okinawa, and ku-gua throughout
China.
Commonly known as Ampalaya
in the Philippines, also known
as paria (Ilokano), palia (Bisaya).
It is high in vitamins and an
excellent source of iron and
calcium.
The fruit, young shoots and
flowers are used as vegetable.
 It comes in different shapes
and sizes and has a wary skin
and very bitter taste.
This herbaceous, tendril-
bearing vine grows up to 5 m
(16 ft) in length.
It bears simple, alternate
leaves 4–12 cm (1.6–4.7 in)
across, with three to seven
deeply separated lobes.
Each plant bears separate
yellow male and female
flowers.
The fruit has a distinct warty
exterior and an oblong shape.
 It is hollow in cross-section,
with a relatively thin layer of
flesh surrounding a central
seed cavity filled with large,
flat seeds and pith.
The fruit is most often eaten
green, or as it is beginning to
turn yellow.
At this stage, the fruit's flesh
is crunchy and watery in
texture, similar to cucumber,
chayote or green bell pepper,
but bitter.
The skin is tender and edible.
Seeds and pith appear white
in unripe fruits; they are not
intensely bitter and can be
removed before cooking.
Bitter gourd originated from Africa.
It is first noted in Africa as a dry-season staple food
of Kung hunter-gatherers. With time, it spread in Asia.
At first, the Wild or semi-domesticated variants
became famous. Within time, it was fully
domesticated in Southeast Asia.
As time passed, the benefits of bittergourd got
famous around the world. It is widely used in East
Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia in different types
of cuisine.
Culinary uses
Bitter melon is generally consumed cooked in
the green or early yellowing stage. The young
shoots and leaves of the bitter melon may also
be eaten as greens. The fruit is very bitter raw
and can be soaked in cold water and drained to
remove some of those strong flavours.
In Chinese cuisine, bitter melon is valued for its bitter flavour,
typically in stir-fries (often with pork and douchi), soups, dim sum,
and herbal teas (gohyah tea). It has also been used in place of
hops as the bittering ingredient in some beers in China and
Okinawa.
Culinary uses
 Bitter gourd is commonly eaten throughout India.
In North Indian cuisine, it is often served with
yogurt on the side to offset the bitterness, used in
curry such as sabzi or stuffed with spices and then
cooked in oil.
 In the cuisine of the Philippines, may be stir-fried with ground beef and
oyster sauce, or with eggs and diced tomato.
 The dish pinakbet, popular in the Ilocos region of Luzon, consists mainly
of bitter melons, eggplant, okra, string beans, tomatoes, lima beans,
and other various regional vegetables all stewed together with a little
bagoong-based stock.
Traditional medicinal uses
Bitter melon has been used in various Asian and African herbal
medicine systems for a long time.
In Turkey, it has been used as a folk remedy for a variety of
ailments, particularly stomach complaints
In traditional medicine of India, different parts of the plant are
used as claimed treatments for diabetes (particularly polypeptide-
p, an insulin analogue), and as a stomachic, laxative, antibilious,
emetic, anthelmintic agent, for the treatment of cough,
respiratory diseases, skin diseases, wounds, ulcer, gout, and
rheumatism
Pharmacology
 Momordica charantia has a number of purported uses including cancer
prevention, treatment of diabetes, fever, HIV and AIDS, and infections.
 While it has shown some potential clinical activity in laboratory
experiments, "further studies are required to recommend its use".

 In 2012, the germplasm and chemical constituents, such as momordicin,

charantin, cucurbitacin and momordicoside D within several varieties of
the gourd, were being studied.
 For fever reduction and relief of menstrual problems, there is no scientific
research to back these claims. For cancer prevention, HIV and AIDS, and
treatment of infections, there is preliminary laboratory research, but no
clinical studies in humans showing a benefit.
Pharmacology
In the Caribbean, tea brewed from cerasee
leaves is a popular remedy for stomach and
abdominal ailments.
The plant grows wild in many areas, and the tea
is made with freshly gathered leaves. The dried
leaves in tea bags are also sold commercially and
readily available for sale in stores.
Bitter melon tea, also known as gohyah tea, is an herbal tea made
from an infusion of dried slices of the bitter melon. It is sold as a
medicinal tea, and a culinary vegetable.
Nutrional Value
 The fruits and shoots are soaked in salt water to
remove some of their bitterness and then steamed,
fried or pickled.
 Bittergourd is similar in nutritional value to other
cucurbits except it is higher in foliate and vitamin C.
 The vine tips are an excellent source of Vitamin A. It
is popularly known to cure infectious diseases and
diabetes.
 The fruit contains the hypo-glycemic principle charantin, which is used to
treat diabetes. The young leaves and shoots of Makiling variety were
reported to have lowered the blood sugar level of people with type 2
diabetes mellitus (DOST-PCAARRD).
Nutrional Value
Presently, ampalaya tablets and tea are marketed as food
supplements.
Bittergourd has been found to have great medicinal value. It is
a very good blood purifier. It helps to treat blood disorders
such as blood boils and itching due to toxemia.
 It is also good in the treatment of malaria. The juice has a good
effect on cholera patients and helps to treat the disease.
It is said to have antidote, antipyretic tonic, appetizing, anti-billous
and laxative properties (March 2, 2009. Food Quad Health and
Lifestyle by Ayushueveda)
https://openstat.psa.gov.ph/Database/Agriculture-Forestry-Fisheries
 It pays to select varieties which
are high-yielding, early-
maturing, tolerant to pests and
diseases, adapted to local
climatic conditions, and easy-
to-sell.
 The following varieties were tested in
Currimao, Ilocos Norte from wet
season 2005 to dry season 2007:
Amplaya can be grown in any
type of soil.
However, the best type and
texture of soil for this crop is
sandy loam or clay loam with
good drainage, high organic
matter and with pH ranging from
6 to 6.7.
October-February is the ideal
planting season because cool
months favor more fertilized
flowers thus better production.
Prepare the soil
thoroughly by plowing
and harrowing for two to
three times until soil is
already loose. Make
planting beds of about 1m
to 1.5m.
Rule of thumb: Do not till
the soil when it too wet or
too dry.
To manage weed growth
problems, plastic mulch
may be placed on planting
beds.
Spacing is 2-3 meters
between rows and 30-50 cm
between hills.
For leaf production, the
spacing is 1 meter between
rows and 0.5 meters
between plants in a row.
Ampalaya can be directly
seeded or transplanted.
Transplanting is
recommended for hybrid
seeds, and for off-season
planting to minimize the
exposure of young plants to
unfavorable weather
conditions and reduce plant
mortality.
 Break the seed coat by cutting the pointed tip of
the seed with a nail-cutter.
Soak the seeds in clean water for 24 hours.
 Pre-germinate seeds by wrapping it with moist
cloth and incubate in a dark place for 24-48 hours
or until seed coat breaks.
 For direct seeding, sow 1-3 pre-germinated
seeds directly in the prepared pots then cover
with soil as thick as its diameter. It takes 5-10
days before Ampalaya germinates.
Remove weak seedlings leaving behind the
healthy ones 3-4 weeks after sowing
1. Pre-germinating the seeds
Cut the longer tip of the seed with a nail
cutter to facilitate absorption of water.
Soak the seeds in water for 30 minutes.
soaking seeds.
Spread the seeds in a wet, clean cotton
cloth for a more uniform absorption of
moisture, and roll the cloth.
Incubate in a safe dark place until the
radicles come out, which takes 24-
48hours.
1. Pre-germinating the seeds
Cut the longer tip of the seed with a nail
cutter to facilitate absorption of water.
Soak the seeds in water for 30 minutes.
soaking seeds.
Spread the seeds in a wet, clean cotton
cloth for a more uniform absorption of
moisture, and roll the cloth.
Incubate in a safe dark place until the
radicles come out, which takes 24-
48hours.
2. Preparing the sowing materials
M i x 1 p a r t g a r d e n s o i l , 1 p a r t
compost/vermicast and 1 part CRH/coir
dust/rice hull and put them in pots
measuring 12 inches in diameter and
14 inches in height or the 104 holes.
The bigger the pot, the better. Compact
the soil lightly to eliminate air pockets.
Leave at least a quarter of an inch of
empty space to accommodate water
during watering.
3. Sowing:
a. Sow one pre-germinated seed per
hole of the plastic tray at a depth of
1.5 cm.
b . C o ve r t h e s e e d w i t h e n o u g h
medium.
c. Water the seeds using a sprinkler
with fine droplets.
d. Cover the tray with old newspaper,
plastic sack, or rice straw to maintain
soil moisture and temperature.
e. Remove the cover as soon as the
seeds have sprouted.
4. Caring for and maintaining the seedlings:
a. Place the trays on the platforms of a simple
nursery.
b. Roof the nursery with transparent plastic sheets
during the rainy season; plastic nets or chicken
wire during the dry season. The nursery minimizes
exposure of the seedlings to extreme hot weather,
heavy rains, and protects them from stray animals.
c. Water early in the morning and afternoon. Apply
less water during rainy and cloudy days. The
seedlings weaken and elongate with too much
water.
Bitter gourd responds well to
soil rich in organic matter and
inorganic nutrients.
The organic fertilizer must be
broadcasted before plowing or
at final harrowing.
Apply 4 bags Dolomite after first
plowing or 2 weeks before
planting.
Apply 2 tons of processed
chicken manure or
vermicompost in 1 hectare land
2 weeks before planting.
 Basal application of complete fertilizer (14-14-
14) at the rate of 10-15 gm/hill is necessary.
 It is recommended to sidedress with 10-15
gm/hill of urea (46-0-0) and muriate of potash
(0-0-60) once a month (dry season) and
sidedress with urea and muriate of potash every
two weeks (rainy season).
 Spraying of Fermented plant juice (FPJ) can be
done once a week from planting to fruiting stage.
 Bitter gourd is a heavy consumer of fertilizer. If
the recommended frequency of application at
28DAT will show yellowish leaves after 2 weeks,
apply foliar fertilizer.
 Bitter gourd is a flood-tolerant crop. It can withstand water
logging for 48-72 hours.
In dryseason, irrigate the field by flooding at 14 DAT and repeat
irrigation every seven days throughout the growing season in
October to December and as the need arises for May to July
planting.
For leaf or shoot production, irrigate twice a week for faster
shoot development, and to minimize the bitter taste of shoots
and fruit
 Before the vines creep, construct vertical and
overhead trellises.
 Layout 2.5m long and 2-2.5cm wide ipil-ipil,
bamboo, or kakawate poles 2 m apart within
the rows
 Connect the poles horizontally by wire (#16) at
the top, middle and bottom portions in
everyrow.
 Tie the top wire to the stakes at the end of the
rows to make the poles stable.
 Cut abaca twine or synthetic straw, and tie them
vertically from top to bottom wires, and criss-
crossing overhead.
 Allow 1 plant to grow around a vertical string.
Vine Training
 Train the vines by spreading them evenly
across the trellis until they reach the top.
Pruning
 Remove the lower lateral or branches to
facilitate vine growth at the top of the trellis.
Weed Control
 Remove the weeds around the plants
Cut-off the weeds in between the rows by
using a scythe.
Mulching
 Mulch with rice straw or black
plastic sheet to control the weeds
and conserve soil moisture.
Layout the mulch in the soil
before planting.
Integrated Pest Managemant (IPM)
 Integrated Pest
Management is a process
involving common sense
and sound solutions for
treating and controlling
pests
IPM is more focused on
prevention rather than
cure
Aphids (Aphids gossypil)
 Young and adults feed on underside of leaves by sucking the sap.
 Leaves becomes distorted, stunted and often Botanical pesticides/compounds
may be tried such as neem extract and water.
 There are many natural enemies that will feed on aphids, thus helping to reduce
the populations of this pest in the field.
 Natural enemies that produce larvae which will feed on aphids include syrphid
flies, lacewings and the predaceous midge.
 Pest Management
Fruitfly
Net bags- Wrapping of the fruit
with newspaper, nylon net or
polyethylene sleeve (especially
for long, thin cucurbit fruits).

Use of attractants (pheromones)

for suppression of male
population.
https://www.plantdoctor.eastwestseed.com
/taxonomy/term/18/3
Harvest the fruits when the fruits are still green, shiny and have
attained the full size.
 This is about 15-20 days from pollination or 45 -75 days from
planting depending on the variety. There are early and late
maturing type.
Harvesting can be done 2 to 3 times a week and done
continuously for 2 to 3 months.
Thank You!!!