High yielding varieties for Kerala

By Our Agriculture Correspondent

KERALA AGRICULTURAL University (KAU), Vellanikkara, has recently released two high yielding pickling melons (popularly called `Vellari') for commercial cultivation by the farmers. One of them was developed by the scientists at the College of Horticulture, KAU. This improved variety with large, attractive golden yellow fruits, has been well received by the growers as well as consumers.

Christened `Mudicode, the new variety has an average yield potential of 30.4 tonnes per hectare. Selected through systematic evaluation of the germplasm collection, this variety can be grown in home gardens and in commercial farms as well. The variety yields fruits which weighs 1.8-2.5 kg each, according to the scientists. The attractive oval- shaped fruits can be harvested from 55-50 days after sowing, and the crop will last until 79 or 88 days.

`Vellari' is the common cucurbitaceous vegetable in Kerala, and the golden yellow fruits are normally used in religious rituals. The early- maturing variety `Mudicode is ideally suited for growing in Thrissur, Palakkad and Ernakulam districts. It is recommended that the variety should follow a spacing of 2 m x 1.5 m. About 500-750 g seeds will be required to cover a hectare.

The other variety named Arunima is developed by the horticulturists at the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pilicode in Kasaragode. This improved variety developed from a local type collected from Kasaragode district, is also an early- maturing type, and it is ideally suited for rice fallows during summer.

It has a spreading growth habit with branched stem. The leaves are broad with hairy veins and petioles. Male flowers are produced in clusters, while female flowers are solitary. Fruits are large and attractive with uniform cylindrical shape. The fruits are bright green with creamy spots when tender, and they turn orange yellow upon ripening.

The average length of the fruit is 33.14 cm and the girth 40.72 cm. The flesh thickness of the fruit is 3.6 cm, and each fruit will contain about 645 seeds. The average fruit weight is 2.3 kg at full maturity. The total duration of the crop is 60 days, according to the scientists.

`Arunima is relatively tolerant to downey mildew, but is susceptible to mosaic disease under field conditions. The average yield under normal field practices is 27 tonnes per hectare. The fruits are of good quality with a long shelf life. Under normal storage conditions, the fruits can be kept without spoilage for upto 90 days. Hence, this is an ideal variety for off-season marketing.

The variety should ideally be sown in the second week of January, and the harvest can be had in the first week of April enabling the farmers to get premium price in the market.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Science & Tech
Previous : Integrated management of rootknot nematode on
           brinjal
Next     : Male Infertility: Ancient gene may be involved