Cucurbits comprise 117 genera and 825 species. Out of this 30 species of nine genera are used as cultivated plants. Most of the cucurbits viz., cucumber, bottle gourd, ridge gourd, bitter gourd, snake gourd, water melon and muskmelons are monoecious and annul in habit. However plants like pointed gourd, spine gourd, ivy gourd and chow-chow are dioecious and perennials. It is of high market demand with a special delicacy for the people of India and it fetches premium price in the market. Though are potential vegetable crops, there is not much standardized scientific cultivation technology available for improving the yield. Agro techniques like nutrition and spacing play an important role in commercial production. |
