Development and maintenance of novel source of gynoecy in bittergourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Development of hybrids in bitter gourd is expensive because of hand-pollination but utilization of gynoecy is economical and easier for exploiting hybrid vigour. The study aim to develop gynoecious line of Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.) by isolating, selfing and evaluating selfed progenies from original population and to maintain the line by chemicals like Silver Nitrate (AgNO3), Gibberellic Acid (GA) and Silver Thiosulphate (Ag(S2O2)2) to induce male (Staminated) flower for selfing. Chemicals mainly silver nitrate (AgNO3) performs well as compared to GA and Silver Thiosulphate (Ag(S2O2)2) for induction of male flowers in gynoecious line. Open pollinated population only express gynoecious sex type. Gynoecious line development through progeny row method takes four consecutive selfing generations (S4) for obtaining complete gynoecious lines. The lines isolated from naturally occurring plants among that, Nirmal Gy-1 and Gy-14 are with medium long fruit type and Nirmal Gy-15 and Gy-34 are with long fruit type. The highest sex ratio M/F = 0.05/100 observed from chemical Silver Nitrate with 300 ppm applied twice at two leaf stage and 7 days later from first spray, which confirms highest possibility of flower synchronization. These lines were maintained by using Silver Nitrate (AgNO3) and Gibbrelic acid (GA).