Pusa Shrestha – An early high yielding F1 hybrid of sponge gourd for commercial cultivation

Abstract

The sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica L.), known as Chikni tori in Hindi is a very popular and important vegetable grown in India. It is an easy-to-grow crop best adapted to tropical and subtropical regions. Fruits are generally consumed immature as vegetable. Its tender fruits are cooked. Very few F1 hybrids of sponge gourd from any public sector institute or private seed companies are available
so far for spring summer season cultivation in North Indian plains. The consumer preference in North Indian plains is of attractive, uniform, green, elongated and cylindrical, straight, slightly ribbed fruits with thick skin and tender flesh. Keeping in view the above facts, high yielding, early and uniform maturity sponge gourd hybrid Pusa Shrestha with desirable horticultural traits has been released, notified and recommended for commercial cultivation during spring summer season for Delhi NCR and was subsequently notified by the Central Sub-Committee on Crop Standards, Notification and Release of Varieties of Horticultural Crops.