Bottle Gourd (Lauki / Ghiya)

🍃 Bottle Gourd (Lauki / Ghiya)

Botanical Name: Lagenaria siceraria

Family: Cucurbitaceae

Origin: South Africa

Chromosome Number: 2n=22

Best Soil: Sandy loamy soil rich in organic matter with pH 6.5 to 7.5

Climate Requirement: Moderate warm temperature

Seed Rate: 3–4 kg per hectare

Seed Treatment: Trichoderma viride (4 g), Pseudomonas fluorescens (10 g), or Carbendazim (2 g/kg seed)

Popular Product: Kofta

Highly Sensitive to: Photoperiod

Uses of Dry Shell: Musical instruments, Tooty-fruity

Fruit Pulp is Rich in: Fibre-free carbohydrates

Germination Temperature: 25–30°C

High Temperature and High Nitrogen Induce: Maleness

Heterosis is Visible in: All stages

Major Pests: Mites, Aphids, Beetles, Fruit flies, Caterpillars

Control of Insects: Spray Malathion 50 EC (1 ml/l) or Dimethoate 30 EC (1 ml/l)

Avoid These Chemicals (Phytotoxic): DDT, Copper, and Sulphur dust

Common Diseases: Powdery mildew, Downy mildew

Harvest Time: At tender stage before full maturity

Yield: 15–20 tonnes per hectare in 135 days

🌿 Varieties of Bottle Gourd

Selection Varieties:

• Samrat (Highest Yield)
• Pusa Naveen
• Pusa Summer Prolific Round
• Punjab Round
• Punjab Long

Hybrid Varieties:

• Pusa Meghdoot – 1st F1 hybrid by public sector
• Punjab Komal
• Varad
• NDBG-1 – Diara
• Pusa Mangari
• Gutka
• Pusa Sandesh (New)
• Harit
• Swarna Sneha (2013 IVRC)
• PBOG-1 (For Northern Plains)