Gourd cultivation methods and improved varieties of gourd

Gourd is a popular day-neutral vegetable, this crop can be cultivated in almost all types of soil. This vegetable rich in vitamins can be cultivated throughout the year. However, loamy-clay soil is best for gourd cultivation.

Seed sowing and seedling production

It is better to make seedlings in polythene bags for gourd cultivation. This reduces the cost of seeds. If seedlings are produced and planted in polythene bags, 800-1000 grams of seeds are required per hectare. 2 seeds per female are sufficient.

Time of sowing gourd seeds

For winter cultivation, seeds can be sown from mid-Bhadra to mid-Karthik (August-November). However, this time, seeds for winter crops will have to be sown in the first week of Bhadra. Summer is from February to May. However, gourd can be cultivated throughout the year.

Preparing land for gourd cultivation

In our rural areas, gourd seedlings are mainly planted around the house to meet the needs of the family. But to cultivate gourd commercially, the land must be selected and the land must be cultivated properly. It is best to cultivate 4 fields in the gourd land. A 2 meter x 2 meter distance should be made. The land should be prepared with cow dung, TSP, MOP, humic acid, root hormone, etc. in each field. It is noted that it is better to cultivate with TSP, and MOP during land cultivation.

Improved varieties of gourd.

In Bangladesh, two varieties of gourd, indigenous and hybrid, are cultivated. Although indigenous gourd was more popular in the past, it is gradually decreasing. Farmers are leaning towards cultivating high-yielding hybrid varieties of gourd. Almost all varieties of hybrid gourd can be cultivated throughout the year. They have high disease resistance and yield. Some high-yielding varieties of gourd are discussed below ➖

Variety Name	Harvest	Fruit Weight	Planting Time	Special Features
Hybrid Gourd Nawab	50-55 days	2.0-2.5 kg	Twelve months	Early high-yielding Fruit carton size Attractive green skin with white spots Fruit 15 inches long and delicious Yield 25-30 tons per acre
Hybrid Gourd Nice Green	40-45 days	2-2.5 kg	Twelve months	Green and delicious Fruits are 50-55 cm long Insect, disease and rain-tolerant
Hybrid Gourd Sultan	50-55 days	2-2.5 kg	Twelve months	Long-lasting Dome and minaret-shape Green and white speckled 25-30 tons
Hybrid Gourd Diana	50-55 kg	2-2.5 kg	Twelve months	Fast-growing, high-yielding Bottle-shaped, bright green, soft, and delicious fruits. Tolerant of high heat, humidity,y, and salinity 45-50 tons

Gourd seedling planting

For gourd cultivation, 4-5 seeds should be planted in a 2*2 m. spacing. Gourd can also be cultivated in open ground during the Rabi season. However, the yield is higher in the ground. Gourd can also be grown by sowing seeds in soil on a pile of floating leaves.